Skyrim Falls
by TehArbitur53
Summary: Dipper and Mabel Pines have a normal day in Gravity Falls, when they get transported into another Dimension. Now they have to find a way home, while dealing with an age old prophecy that threatens both worlds.
1. Prolog

**Chapter 1: Prolog**

It was a normal day in the city of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Well, as normal as it gets there. The Pines Twins, Mabel and Dipper, are doing what they have been doing all summer: running away from a paranormal monster. They just wanted to search for the monster that was supposed to live in the local lake, when the monster suddenly jumped out of the water.

Just some days ago their Great Uncle Ford came back from being stuck in another Dimension. His Twin brother, Stanley, accidently pushed him in thirty years ago and tried to get him back ever since.

"Dipper! Its getting closer!" Mabel yelled. Behind them was the weird creature, and appearently a rare one too. It was in none of the three Journals. The monster looked like a human with a fish-like head. His hide had a purple color with black chitin at the arms, chest, grotch and legs. Sometimes, it spit up some kind of acid in the direction of the twins. Thankfully both were agile enough to get out of the way. It rumbles sometimes sounded like its saying something. Since it emerged, the sky was constantly getting darker, and lighting began to struck down. After they ran around some stones, the kids found themselves stuck at a cliff.

There was no way out. The Monster came closer, and the pines already made their last wishes, when a bolt of lighting struck them. Everything suddenly went white, and then black.

* * *

When they finally woke up again, they found themselves in a completely different place. Instead of the woods and the summer heat both were surrounded by a snowy, rather cold forest.

"Where are we?" asked Dipper, rubbing his forehead, which still hurt.

"Canada?" Mabel answered jokingly.

They looked around and saw a street behind some trees. And a primitive one at that. Before they could go there however, horses emerged from the woods. They quickly surrounded the kids, swords and bows aimed at them. The riders looked like andient creek or roman warriors. One of them, in a very ornamented armor, began to speak.

"Stop there, Daedra! In the name of the Empire!" To afraid to speak, both followed the orders.

One warrior jumped from his horse and tied both up.

"What are you doing? Let us go you Jerks!" Mabel request was answered by a hit with an shield, knocking her unconscius.

"Mabel!" Dipper yelled only to meet the same fate.

After opening his eyes again, he realised that he sat on the back of a carriage next to Mabel, both still tied up. However, they where not alone. With them were three other people. One looked like a viking, one like he lived on the street for a long time, and the last one had his mouth covered by some kind of fabric. His body was covered by a blue uniform, similiar to the viking. Dipper woke Mabel up by poking her with his elbow. She was just as surprised, and scared, as he was.

One of the People, the one that looked like a viking, began to speak. "Hey you! You are finally awake; you were trying to cross the border, right? Walked into that imperial ambush same as us, and that thief over there." He nodded to the red haired guy.

"Damn you Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along." Both twins looked at each other confused. Who were these stormcloaks? And what is Skyrim? "Empire was nice and lazy! If they hadn't been looking for you I'd have stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell."

The twins began to unterstand at least a bit of the information. Appearantly this empire was some kind of government, and this was a prisoner transport! But what did this mean? Are they criminals now? What will happen to them? And what is Hammerfell?

The Thief looked at them. "You two there. You and me should'nt be here. It's these Stormcloaks that the Empire wants. Hell, you two aren't even adults."

The viking answered him. "We are all brothers and sisters in binds now. Tell me kids, what are your names?"

"M-Mabel Pines. And this is my twin brother, Dipper Pines."Mabel answered in a shivering voice.

"Dipper? Mabel? Those names are unconventional. Im Ralof from R-"

The driver of the carriage cut him off. "Shut up back there!"

The Thief nodded at the guy whith the binding before his mouth. "What's wrong with him, huh?"

"Watch your Tongue! You're speaking to Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, the true highking." Ralof, now pretty angry, replied.

And with that, Mabel and Dipper were lost completely. Highkings? Jarls? No Technology? Have they accidently travelled back in time?

"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the Rebellion… if they captured you, oh gods… where are they taking us?" At this point, although the whole situation got a bit clearer, the eyes of the twins widened. It seemed like those Stormcloaks are a rebellion against the empire. But if this is their leader, they are in serious trouble. What are they doing with such a guy in this land?

"I don't know where we are going, but Sovngarde awaits" Ralof explained to the Thief and the twins.

"Sorry, but what is this Sovngarde?" Dipper asked, confused and worried at the same time.

"You really aren't from here, are you? Sovngarde is the place where the bravest of Norths go when they die." And now, both feared for their lives. When this Sovngarde awaits, are they going to be killed?

"No, this can't be happening. This isn't happening!"

"Dipper! I dont wanna die!"Mabel screamed with tears in her eyes.

"Me neither. There must be a way out of this." Dipper tried to comfort his sister and looked out of the carriage.

"You think?"

"Yeah. When they see that we are twelve years old, they will probably let us go."

They turned their attention back at the Stormcloak, who was speaking to the thief.

"Hey? What village are you from, horse-thief?"

"Why do you care?"

"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home."

"Rorikstead. I'm from Rorikstead"

"And you, children?"

"Piedmont, California." both answered instantly.

"Hm. Never heard of it. Must be far away."

"If only you knew." Dipper answered. He figured that they probably aren't on Earth anymore. Everything points to it: they dont know of California; nothing of stormcloaks, imperials or Skyrim was ever mentioned in any history book. But where they simply on another planet? Or in another dimension?

An Imperial at the gate to a city welcomed the carriage. "General Tullius Sir! The headsmen is waiting!"

"Good, lets get this over with" the General, appearently named Tullius, answered coldly. The gate opened to a city that looked like it belonged in a fantasy movie. Medieval houses where standing everywhere, surrounded by a stone wall. The wall had various defense towers built in.

The Horsethief began to pray to some kind of gods none of the twins ever heard of. "Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh! Divines, please help me!"

While they were driving through the town, the inhabitants just stared at them. Some in anger, some sadly. Ralof looked over to the General. "Look at him! General Tullius, the Military. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him, damn elves."

"Elves?!" Mabel asked, gaining some strange looks from the Thalmor. "Dipper! Maybe this hot elf from your dumb mathgame is with them. He could get us out of this."

"Dont get your hopes up, Mabel. He was summoned by the dice afterall."Saddened, Mabel sat down again.

"Where was I? I bet they had something to do with this." Ralof looks at the Houses around them. "Helgen… I used to be sweet on a girl from here. I wonder if Velod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in… funny, when i was a boy imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe."

A child that was standing on a little balcony points at the waggon. "Who are they Daddy? Where are they going?" "

You need to get inside little cub."

"Why? I want to watch the soldiers."

"Inside the House, now!"

The childwent into the house.

"Yes papa."

Suddenly, the driver yelled and the horse stopped. A female captain walked over to the cart. "Get those prisoner out of the cart!"

The horse thief looked around worried. "Why are we stopping?"

"Why do you think? End of the line. Let's go, we shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us."

Mabel and Dipper stood up unwillingly and got out of the cart.

"No! Wait! We're not rebels!" The Thief yelled.

"Face your death with some respect, thief!" Ralof mocked the red-haired thief.

"You've got to tell them that we are not with you! This is a mistake!"

"Yeah, he's right!" Mabel added.

The female captain, who obviously did not care, answered him. "Step towards the block when we call your name, one at a time!" "

The empire loves their damned lists."

The guy who welcomed them at the gate looked down at a list. "Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm."

The captured Jarl moved to the block, where a man, dressed completely in black, was waiting with a giant axe.

"It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric" Ralof muttered.

"Ralof of Riverwood." Ralof moved towards the block too.

"Lokir of Rorikstead."

The Thief moved a step forward. "No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" That said, he tried to flee and ran along the street. "

Halt!" the female captain shouted.

"You're not going to kill me!"

"Archers!" The Archers, seemingly elven, took aim and shot. Mabel and Dipper looked away as the Arrows impaled Lokir in the back, killing him. His body fell to the ground with a bump. The Captain turned back towards the prisoners. "Anyone else feel like running?" Mabel and Dipper shookd their heads, hoping it had the same meaning in this world.

"Wait you there." He pointed at the twins. "Step forward." Both stepped a foot forward, hopping they would not kill them too. "Who are you?"

"We? We are Mabel and Dipper Pines from Gravity Falls, Oregon."

"Never heard of it." He looked at the Captain. "Why are they here? They are not on the list, and they are children."

"We saw them just pop up in the forest around Riften. We think they are Daedra, which would explain their name and attire. And the smell of the boy."

The Soldier sighed. "Im sorry. Follow the captain."

"What? No! Please don't! We are humans!" Both began to cry, as a soldier grabbed them and pushed them to the block.

Tullius walked over to the block and looked at Ulfric. "Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder his king and ursurp the throne." Mouths wide open the twins looked at the Jarl. They could not believe someone could do such a thing. However, they were about to be executed, so the empire was probably not that much better. Maybe even worse. Ulfric simply growled in response, probably because they covered his mouth. "You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos. And now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace."

In the distant, a deep roar sounded across the mountains. The more friendly soldier looked towards the mountains. "What was that?"

"It is nothing. Carry on." The female Captain nodded and turned to the priest that was standing next to them."Give them their last rights."

"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you."

"Thanks" The Captain replied. "Mabel Pines, step forward to the block."

"What? No! I don't want to! This is a mistake!"

"Please, take me and let her go!" Dipper cried out. The crying of both was to no avail however, as a soldier simply grabbed Mabel and took her to the block, putting a food on her back. Tears where running down the faces of both twins. Another roar was heard in the distance, but it seemed nearer then the last one.

Mabel thought that was it. She had so much planned. And now she was going to be beheaded by a weird empire in an unknown world. What should her Grunkle say to their parents? Would he even find out what happened? She closed her eyes, hoping it was over fast, as the earth suddenly shook. She looked up and saw a giant, pitch-black lizard sitting on the tower.

"What in Oblivion is that?"

"Sentries? What do you see?"

"It's in the town!"

"Dragon!"

The Dragon roared, which sounded like he was talking, and a storm appeared above him. Meteors were falling down around them. Someone helped her up. Dipper smiled at her, happy that they did not get executed.

"Guards! Get the townfolk to safety!" The more friendly soldier yelled.

They looked at the Dragon, and could have sworn to have seen a strange flame in his eyes. Ralof grabbed the twins and dragged them to a tower.

"Come on! The guards wont give us another chance! This way!" They ran as fast as they could towards the tower and headed in. Inside stood Ulfric Stormcloak, who removed the peace of fabric that was wrapped around his mouth. "Jarl Ulfric, what is this thing? Could the legends be true?"

"Legends don't burn down villages." Another roar was heard. "We need to move, now!"

Ralof looked at the kids. They were starring angrily at him. "What? Now you want to help us? Back there you would have them execute us."

"Listen, trust me. Just get up there." Since they had no other option, both ran up the stairs with him. Suddenly, the giant head of the Dragon broke through the wall. He shouted something that sounded like Yol and a burst of flames spilled into the room. He retreaded and left a giant hole in the wall. Ralof stepped on the edge and looked down. "See the Inn there? Jump through the Roof and keep going. We will follow if we can."

Dipper thought it was a crazy idea, but Mabel already jumped and landed on the upper floor of the building. Dipper sighed and followed. The Inn was completely in shambles. They ran down the stairs, and Mabel picked up a broken, empty bottle."What do you want with that?" Dipper asked his sister.

"Self defense. If the Dragon comes to close i can smack him in the Nose."

"Mabel. This is a giant, flying, firebreathing lizard. I dont think a bit of glass will help you with that." Mabel wanted to say something, but the floor above them began to catch fire. Both ran out of the building in panic and found the soldier standing next to a man and the child from earlier.

"Haming, you need to get over here now! Thataboy. You're doing great! Torolf!" The Dragon flew over them, preparing his fire breath.

"Gods… everyone, get back!"

" _Toor Shul"_ The fire missed and the monster flew towards the townwall. The Soldier looks at the Pines.

"Still alive, prisoners? Keep close to me if you want to stay that way. Gunnar, take care of the boy. I have to find General Tullius and join the defense." The Man looked at the Soldier and nodded. "Gods guard you, Hadvar."

Hadvar looked back to Dipper and Mabel. "Stay close to the wall." They snuck between a wall and a house, as the Dragon landed on the wall.

" _Yol Toor Shul!_ " He shouted, summoning his fire once again. It took off again, flying towards a group of guards.

"Quickly, follow me!" After some feet, they reached the carnage that was going down at the main gate. They saw Tullius, who turned to Hadvar, either not noticing the twins or not caring. "Hadvar! Into the keep, soldier, we're leaving!" Hadvar turned back towards Dipper and Mabel.

"Its you two and me, prisoners. Stay close." They followed him to the keep, which had two entrances. One was free, the other one however was guarded by Ralof. "Ralof! You damned traitor! Out of my way!"

"We're escaping, Hadvar! You are not stopping us this time!"

"Fine. I hope the Dragon takes you all to Sovngarde."

Ralof turned his attention to the Mystery Twins. "You two, come on! Into the keep!"

Hadvar ran a bit towards the free entrance and turned around. "With me, prisoners! Let's go! Come on! We need to get inside!" It was obvious that they had to choose one side. Either the Stormcloak, who did not care for them, or the imperial who tried to save them from execution, even if he was on the side that tried to do it in the first place. Ralof however saved them from the Dragon. The choice was clean however as the Monster attempted to land above Ralof. They ran as fast as they could to Hadvar, who opened the door and closed it behind them. Inside, they could hear the shout from the Dragon.

* * *

 **Well, here goes the first chapter of my first fanfiction.**

 **Basically I just had the idea to write this after playing the new special edition. My plan is to release new chapters friday.**  
 **As this is my first fanfiction, critisicm would be very helpful.**

 **Elder Scrolls is owned by Bethesda; Gravity Falls is owned by Disney.**


	2. In the keep

Chapter 2: Inside the keep

They just escaped a Dragon. That was a thought, and experience, both of the Twins knew they would never forget. Now the trio was inside the keep. Some beds, drawers, chests and a desk stood in the room. Hadvar drew a dagger and looked towards the twins.

"Wait, are you gonna kill us now?" Mabel asked with fear in her voice.

"What? No. Im going to take off these ropes." He stepped towards them and cut through the ropes around their wrists.

Dipper rubbed his wrists, which were a bit sore. "So, why did you help us?"

"It's obvious that you two aren't Daedra. You are just kids who woke up in a forest. Besides, Daedra can't even get here since the Oblivion Crisis."

"Thanks. Someone who trusts us." Dipper replied. There was this word, Daedra, again. Whhere this Daedra some kind of improtant figures?

"But please tell me. How did you get there? What is the last thing you rememember from before you woke up?"

"Well. We where running away from a monster, when lighting struck us and we fell unconscious. Then, we woke up in the Forest."

"I see. Could have been a teleportation spell." Hadvar said and rubbed his chin. A roar came from inside the keep and turned everone's attention to the doorway leading deeper inside. "Look through these chests and see if you can find anything useful."

Following his orders, they searched through every chest in the room, and put the loot down on the desk. They had a wooden bow, some arrows and two weird books, one with a flaming hand and one with some kind of bird on it. Dipper was a bit excited about the hand one, for obvious reasons. They also had one set of leather armor, and one apple. "So, what are we gonna do now?" Dipper asked Hadvar, who was guarding the door.

"Pick one. Those two books are spell books. Simply look into them and you'll learn the spell inside."

Both looked over the stuff. "So, who is taking what?"Mabel asked.

"Seems like one of us is going to use magic, while the other one will have to use a bow."

Mabel put her hands together and looked at Dipper with the most adorable face she could do. "Please, please, please. Can I use the magic? You had the Journal the whole summer." Though Dipper wanted to use it himself, he had to admit that she was right. He had used multiple spells in the summer, while the only thing that Mabel used was this love-potion during the Woodstick Festival. And that wasn't even a real spell.

He looked back at Mabel, who looked like her eyes would pop out if they got bigger. He sighed and smiled. "Okay. You can use them. I'll take the bow. Looks like im going to be an Archer."

Mabel cheered, hugged her brother, and took the books. She first read the one with the hand. It only had on site. She looked at the words and the book began to glow, before it dissolved. Shocked, she took the other one and opened it too. The same thing happened. "These books must have been really old." She sighed.

Hadvar saw this and came closer. "Whats wrong?"

"My books destroyed themselves." Mabel said in a sad tone.

Hadvar chuckled. "They didn't. A spell tome simply disappear once you used it."

"And how am I gonna use them then?"

"Just think about them or something. I'm not a mage."

Mabel decided to follow his suggestion. A "menu" popped up in her mind. She saw two words, Flames and Healing. She chose Flames and looked at her hand. Nothing. She concentrated on the spell and put her hands forward. A barrage of fire came out of them and set one of the beds on fire.

"Whoa!" Dipper shouted and jumped back.

Mabel stopped and looked at her hands. "I am a God of Destruction!" she shouted maniacally.

"Don't yell that out loud or they will arrest you again." Hadvar noted.

Now they only had to decide who gets the armor. Mabel of course wanted to keep her sweater, which had the face of a little puppy on it. But some better boots wouldn't be too bad. So they decided to split the Armor. Mabel got the Boots and the hat, while Dipper got the bodyarmor. They forgot think about the size though, which meant it was comically oversized. Hadvar tried to hold a laughter in. In the end, both took off the armor and threw it back on the desk. Hadvar proposed that his Uncle, who's a blacksmith at Riverwood, could make some fitting armor for them. They accepted the offer and began to move.

After passing a corridor they found themselves in a room with several dead stormcloaks."Hey! They are resting? Seriously? Now?" Mabel said.

Hadvar facepalmed and kneeled down on one of the soldiers. "Doesn't seem like much of a fight. He killed himself..." He walked to another one, who had some clean cutting marks. "Whatever caused this could still be down here. Keep an eye out. And look if one of them has a satchel or something similiar with him." Mabel and Dipper looked through the corpses, and indeed found a small bag. It felt weird to take something from a dead body, but they figured that the stormcloak wouldn't need it anymore anyways.

The three moved on, and came across a mess hall, or kitchen. It was hard to pin down, since it was in utter chaos. The dead Stormcloaks here had the same marks as the last ones. "An old storage room. See if you can find some potions. Might come in handy."

They looked in the barrels and found some green, red and blue bottles. Hadvar looked at them. "The red ones heal you, blue ones regenerate your magicka and green ones your stamina." He explained. They nodded and put them in their little bag. "Done then? Let's move on."

The triowalked down some stairs and found themselves in a torture room. "A torture room. Gods, i wish we didn't need these…" Here were dead Stormcloaks too, but also an dead imperial, who looked like the torturer. In the cages layed, or sat, the skeletons of multiple people. Needless to say, the twins felt sick in here. Blood and bones were everywhere.

"Look around if you can find anything useful. And open the cages if needed." Mabel followed suit and stepped to one of the cages. She took a hairclip from her head and lockpicked the door. Inside the cage were some golden coins.

Meanwhile, her brother looked around the desk, where he found someone. "Guys! Someone's still alive!" Both came to him rather quick and starred at the guy. He was laying on the ground, shaking. "Hmm. This looks familiar." Dipper and Mabel looked at each other.

"You don't think..."

"That's exactly what those two tourists looked like, back when you were the boss at the shack!" Dipper explained.

"Excuse me? What do you mean?" Hadvar asked.

"See, back at home we spent the summer at our Great Uncle's shack in the woods. He had an tourist attraction and fooled people with cheap, fake attractions. One day he made a bet with Mabel that he could make more money on vacation than she would as the boss of the Shack."

"One change I wanted to make was showing real monsters, so Dipper captured something called Gremloblin. The problem with this monster however, is that, when you look into its eyes, you see your worst nightmares and probably get scarred for life. This looks exactly like back then."

"I see. This would explain the suicide of some soldiers. If they saw their worst nightmare, I would expect that some people could not handle it. I never heard of a Gremloblin though."

"Well, it's very rare. But it's weird that one is here."

"So, what are we going to do with him?" Mabel asked and pointed at the man on the ground.

They heard another roar from the corridor that led out of the room, followed by cries and the sound of swords. "We've got to leave him here. Once we're in a town, I can sent him help. And how can we defeat it?" Hadvar asked. It felt weird for him, a soldier, to ask two children for battle advice.

"Let it look into a reflection. It will see its own worst nightmare." They looked around for something reflecting, but there was nothing, not even a glassshard.

"I've got it!" Mabel yelled and took the bottle out of her bag.

"That should work." Dipper nodded.

They ran down the Hallway and saw the monster leaving the corpse filled room.

"Hey Jerk!" Mabel shouted and casted fire into the direction of the monster. Unintentionally she lit up oil on the ground, transforming parts of the room into an inferno. "Holy Crap." She exclaimed, only to be hit by the Gremloblin, who jumped to their position. She was thrown into a corner and chose the healing spell. Her hand began to glow bright and the pain faded away slowly. Hadvar and Dipper continued to engage it. Dipper shot an Arrow into its chest. Hadvar used the arrow as a stepstone and slashed at the creature with his sword. The weapon was not sharp enough though, and he was shaken off. Dipper used the distraction and charged at the Monster, only to put the bottle in front of his eyes. The Gremloblin cried out and ran away upstairs, where the hallway behind them collapsed.

As dust filled the room, Hadvar helped Mabel up. "You know, for two kids, that wasn't half bad. You've got potential."

"Thanks. I guess." Dipper replied and rubbed the back of his head.

The three of them followed the path and found a little river, and a skeleton with some gold on it. After some minutes, they found themselves in a cave full of giant cobwebs. "That doesn't look good." Mabel muttered.

Five giant Spiders jumped down from the ceiling and attacked the group. Hadvar stabbed one of the frostbites in the head with his sword, while Mabel set a smaller one on fire. It ran in a circle, obviously panicking, until it stopped and fell down. Mabel felt bad for killing an animal, but it was either it or her. And she wasn't a big fan of spiders anyways. Another arachnoid died with an arrow in its head. The last two spiders attempted to flee and ran out of a hole in the ceiling.

"What next? Giant snakes?" Hadvar joked.

"Please don't jinx it." Dipper said, fearing that things like that could actually exist in this world.

Moving deeper into the cave, they found a broken luggage on a little hill. The Pines wanted to investigate, but were stopped by the imperial.

"Hold up. There's a bear up ahead. See her?" The Twins narrowed their eyes and looked at the black-brown mountains of fur laying in the cave. Of course, Mabel wanted to pet it, but knew that this would be a bad idea. "I'd rather not tangle with her right now. We might be able to sneak by. Just take it nice and slow, and watch where you step." Following him, the twins snuck by the mammal. It moved however, sniffed the air, and slept again.

When they were out of danger, an opening was before them. A cold wind blew through it.

"This looks like the way out! I was staring to wonder if we'd ever make it." The group got out of the cave and found themselves in a snowy forest, on the side of a mountain. The sight down into the land was phenomenal. Giant mountains, green plaines and forests. Mabel and Dipper wanted to go forward, but heard a roar behind them. They looked up and saw the Dragon fly over them, only to disappear behind a giant mountain to their right.

"Looks like he's gone for good this time. But I don't think we should stick around to see if he comes back. Closest town from here is Riverwood. My offer still stands. My Uncle Alvor would be more than happy to make you some armor. Also, thanks. I wouldn't have made it without your help today. To get to Riverwood, just follow the road."

They looked at the road. It was made of cobblestone, and lead down the hill. In the distance they could hear the sound of a River.

"I can accompany you if you want. In case you get attacked." Hadvar offered. Mabel and Dipper looked at each other and nodded. "Then let's get going."

* * *

 **And here goes Chapter 2.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	3. Riverwood

Chapter 3: Riverwood

The trio followed the road down the hill, until they reached a little bunny siting next to it.

"Oh my gosh!" Mabel yelled and ran towards the animal. She knelt down and began to pet the, abnormally trustworthy, animal.

"Why doesn't it jump away?" Dipper asked Hadvar, who observed the scene.

"Im not sure. Normally, they do." He looked closer at the rodent, only to see his right leg bending in the wrong way. "I think its leg is broken."

Mabel looked at the leg of the animal. He was right. It was crushed badly, like it was caught in some kind of trap. "We need to take it with us!" Mabel begged, making big eyes again. Hadvar agreed and Mabel picked up the bunny. "I think im gonna call you Squiggels."

"Really? Squiggels?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

Hadvar shook his head.

"Is there a way we can heal him?"

"A healer could do it. Usually they only heal humans, khajiit, argonians and elves, but im sure they could make an exception."

"And where can we find one?"Dipper asked. At least there seemed to be some kind of health care here.

"The next one's in Whiterun." The soldier pointed north.

They began to move again, and on a cliffside, they found three stones standing in a triangular formation. Pictures where carved into them. They were made out of points with fine lines between them. One looked like a warrior, one like a mage, and one like a thief.

"These are Guardian Stones, three of the thirteen andient standing stones that dot Skyrim's landscape. Go ahead. See for yourself. It's said that those, who choose one get a praise, and get better at certain skills."Hadvar explained.

The two kids stepped between the stones. Dipper was a bit worried about the triangular formation. Afterall, his experiences with triangles up to this point was not that good. "For example?" He asked, a bit intrigued about the whole praise thing.

"Well, the three here are the Warrior, Mage and Thief stone. People who are under the warrior stone are better at close quarter combat. Swords, Shields and so on. The mage stone should be obvious, and the thiefs are better at sneaking and archery."

Mabel instantly ran up to the mage stone and touched it. The fine lines between the points began to glow, only to stop again. "I think it worked, right?" She asked their guide.

"Yes, it did." He looked at the other twin, who seemed undecided. Dipper wasn't entirely sure which one too choose. He liked his bow, but being some kind of knight would be cool too. Maybe it would even give him a chance with Wendy, if they ever get home that is. After a bit of thinking, he finally chose the thief stone and decided to concentrate on archery. "A thief, huh? Maybe you were right on the carriage."

Dipper glarred daggers at Hadvar. "It was a joke, kid. It's obvious that you are not from here." He looked over the mountains in the east and pointed at some stone arches sticking out of one. "See that ruin up there? Bleak Falls Barrow. When I was a boy, that place always used to give me nightmares. Draugr creeping down the mountain to climb through my window at night, that kind of thing. I admit, I still don't much like the look of it."

"Sorry, but what's a Draugr?"

"Oh right, I sometimes forget that they are rather rare outside of Skyrim. They are some kind of undead, defending and patrouling ancient ruins. Lately, their numbers have increased though."

"So, Zombies?" Mabel asked while pettting her new pet.

"No matter speaking, yes. Have you met Zombies?"

Dipper looked at Mabel. "Yeah, we did. I accidently casted an ancient spell and they crashed our party."

"Say, where are you from again?"

"Gravity Falls."

"And where's that? Cyrodiil?"

"No, Oregon, in the USA."

"Never heard of that. Are you even from Tamriel?"

"Tamriel?" Mabel asked.

"We've heard that before. What is Tamriel?" Dipper asked and they continued walking.

"You two really don't know what Tamriel is? It's the continent we are on. And this is Skyrim, the most northern province of the Empire and Tamriel."

Dipper and Mabel looked worried at each other. "Is the Empire big?"

"It was. Now only Skyrim, High Rock and of course Cyrodiil remain."

A short walk later, they arrived at Riverwood. The little Town looked quiet nice. It had a small wall protecting one side. One big road led through the settlement. A good number of houses and shops resided to the left and right of the road, with another way leading to the mountain cliff at the back of the town. A Man, dressed in a black apron over a red shirt, ran up to them from the smithy near the town gate.

"Things look quiet enough here. Come on, there's my Uncle. Uncle Alvor! Hello!" Hadvar yelled in a cheery tone.

Alvor stopped in front of the three. "Hadvar? What are you doing here? Are you on leave from…" He noticed how the three looked. They were all covered in bruises and little burns. Their clothes were torn. "Shor's bones, what happened to you, boy? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Shh uncle. Keep your voice down. I'm fine, but we should go inside to talk."

"What's going on? And who are these kids?" He looked at the Pines, and Mabel waved.

"They are friends. Saved my live in fact. Come on, I'll explain everything, but we need to go inside."

"Okay, okay. Come inside, then. Sigrid will get you something to eat and you can tell me all about it." They nodded and followed him inside his house, which was directly next to the smithy. Inside, all sat down at a wooden table.

"Sigrid! We have company!" An old woman walked up the stairs.

When she saw Hadvar, Sigrid quickly ran up to him.

"Hadvar! We've been so worried about you! Come, you three must be hungry. I'll get you something to eat."

Mabel and Dipper only now realised how hungry they actually were. The last time they ate anything was breakfast, and that was already a couple of hours ago.

Sigrid brought them something to eat and put it on the table. Bread, vegetables, fruits, even a cake. ,,Thanks." The twins said.

A little girl came up the stairs and sat down with the others.

"Now then boy."

Alvor started the conversation. Meanwhile, Mabel and Dipper took some food. They chose some bread and potatoes. It wasn't much, but better than nothing.

"What's the big mystery? What were you doing, looking like you lost an argument with a cave bear."

Mabel took a leaf of salad and put it in front of her rabbit, which began to eat.

"I don't know where to start. I was assigned to General Tullius's Guard. We were stopped in Helgen when we got attacked… by a Dragon."

Alvor nearly spat out his food. He coughed to get some air again. "A Dragon? That's… ridiculous. You aren't drunk, are you, boy?"

Dipper was kind of relieved. It seemed like dragons were odd, even here. Which in turn meant, maybe there only was this one? Then again, the things he saw up to this point have been more normal than the things back in Gravity Falls.

"Husband. Let him tell his story." Sigrid intervened.

"Not much more to tell. This Dragon flew over and just wrecked the whole place. I don't know if anyone else got out alive. I doubt I would have made it out if it was not for the kids here. I need to get back to Solitude and let them know what's happened. I thought you could help us out. Food, supplies, a place to stay."

Alvor looked at the Mystery twins. Mabel has stuck salad in her ears and made silly faces. His daughter and Dipper laughed at it.

"Of course. Friends of Hadvar are friends of mine. I'm glad to help you in any way i can. But tell me? Who are you?"

Mabel looked at him, still with vegetables in her ears. "I'm Mabel Pines." She pointed at Dipper. "And that's my twinbrother Dipper. We, well, we are not from here."

"From where are you then?"

"Honestly, I don't think you would recognize it." Dipper simply answered and shoved a piece of apple in his mouth.

"They've been transported here by some kind of spell. They want to find out how to get home."

"Oh, I see." Alvor looked at the two kids. "Like I said, I'm glad to help. But I need your help." He gestured to his family. "We need your help. The Jarl needs to know there's a dragon on the loose. Riverwood is defenseless… We need to get word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun to send whatever soldiers he can. If you'll do that for me, I'll be in your debt."

The twins just stared at each other. It would be an option. Getting to a bigger city, with an Jarl, which seem to be somewhat like kings, could really help them. And if they can help the Town by doing it, why not?

"We'll do it." Dipper said. Alvor smiled as an answer.

Now the kid finally spoke. "Hadvar? Did you really see a Dragon? What did it look like? Did it have big teeth?"

"Hush, child. Don't pester your Cousin."

The Girl stood up and walked over to Mabel. "Mabel, is it? Hello. My name is Dorthe." She held out her hand. Mabel took it and shook.

"Hey. Nice to meet you."

"Say, what's that thing you're wearing?"

"Oh, this?" Mabel looked down on herself and pulled on her sweater. "That's a Sweater. I made it myself."

"Can you make me one too?" Dorthe asked.

"Of course." Mabel turned towards Sigrid. "Do you have any knitting stuff here?"

"Yes, we do."

"Great! Come on. Let's make you an awesome sweater!" Both girls ran down the stairs.

"So, do you need anything special?" Alvor asked Dipper.

"Yes. In fact, we wondered if you could make us armor? The standard one's not fitting."

"Sure. You saved my nephew. This is the least I can do. The only thing I'd need is your size. Anything special?"

"Well, is there something to look out for?"

"Yes, there is. If you want to use magic, it's better to use light armor. If you are a warrior though, a heavy armor is the way to go."

"Mabel should get a light armor than. What if you use an Bow?"

"Then both are equally good."

"Surprise me." Dipper said. He yawned afterwards. "Boy, go to bed. It is already late and you had a hard day."

Dipper nodded and asked Sigrid if she can show him where to sleep. She agreed and walked downstairs with him.

* * *

Later that night, both Mabel and Dipper were laying down. Hadvars family made them two beds out of hay in the basement. Mabel turned around to face her brother. "Dipper? Are you still awake?"Mabel whispered.

Dipper turned towards her. "Yeah. What's wrong?"

"It's just, im scared. We dont know where we are, how we got here, or if we ever get to go home."

"We're not on Earth anymore, so much is clear. But don't worry, Mabel. We'll find a way out. We always do."

Mabel thought for a moment and agreed. "If you say so. Good night bro-bro." Dipper smiled and closed his eyes.

Although Mabel was sure he was right, he himself was not. This day, they were nearly executed, killed by a dragon, eaten by spiders and are now sleeping in the house of two strangers. He didn't want to admit it, but he was scared too.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the house, Hadvar helped Alvor with the armor. "Alvor, have you ever heard if some place called Oregon?"

Alvor, who was currently working on some iron, turned towards him. "No, never heard of it. Why?"

"The kids said that they're hailing from there."

"Well, it's not too farfetched that they are from an distant province. Their attire is really unusual, just like their names. And it's not like we know every village in existence."

"I dont think they are, though. They don't even know what Tamriel is."

At this Alvor looked shocked. "What if they are form another continent?"

"You sure? We don't know of any other continent populated by humans."

"We don't. But as you know, the seas are extremely dangerous and no one ever got too far. If this is the case wherever they come from too, it's possible that we never made contact. Also, spells can teleport you quiet a way. It is not impssible."

"So, should we keep that to ourselves?"

"Probably. I don't want the wrong people to go after those poor souls. They have it hard enough."

Hadvar strapped the last peace of metal to the armor and looked at it. It was still gliming red and white from the heat. "What do you think?"

Alvor put his hand on Hadvar's shoulder. "I think they'll be pretty happy with that."

* * *

 **And Chapter 3 is up.**

 **Basically, the concept is that Mabel is the mage, and Dipper the archer. A character that fits into the warrior category will follow soon, though.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.  
**


	4. Shopping tour

Chapter 4: Shopping

The Morning sun was shining bright over the province of Skyrim. The two moons, Masser and Secunda, have just crossed the horizon and colored the sky orange. The town of Riverwood was already up and running. The Merchants opened their shops, the birds are chirping and the woodmill is cutting wood.

Mabel and Dipper had already woke up and ate breakfast. Mabel made a new sweater for herself. Her old one was completely ruined from the last day.

Her bunny was still sleeping. Dipper on the other hand stood outside and watched the town. Mabel left the house and stoodnext to him. "Mornin'."

"Morning."

Alvor approached them from his smithy, holding two sacks in his hands. "Here you go. That's the armor you requested."

He gave them the sacks, and they looked inside. Mabel got a leather armor, the cheapest light armor. Dipper however got the cheapest heavy armor: A iron armor. They put them on and were surprised. They fitted perfectly. Although Dipper thought that his one was a bit heavy, it would have to suffice. Alvor told them that they should wear their normal clothes under it, since armor can rub pretty badly.

The brownish leader armor covered Mabel's legs, body and arms. A helm, or hat, kept her head save while still having room for her hair. Dipper's armor covered hime entirely, except for his face. They thanked him and wanted to make their way to Whiterun, but he insisted that they should buy some supplies for the way. Although they had a good meal this morning and a good dinner last evening, they didn't know when they would get their next meal.

The twins looked around the town and came across a general store. The name "Riverwood Trader" was painted on a sign above the entrance. They entered and saw the owner of the shop standing behind a counter. It looked (and sounded) like he was arguing with a woman.

"Well, one of us has to do something." She yelled.

"I said no! No adventures, no theatrics, no thief-chasing"

"Well, what are you going to do then, huh? Let's hear it!"

The owner rubbed his temple. "We are done talking about this." He noticed the twins standing at the entrance and shifted his attention to them. "Oh, customers. Sorry you had to hear that." The woman sighed and sat down at the fireplace. The Pines walked up to the counter.

"What was that all about?" Dipper asked.

"Nothing. Some bandits broke in here and stole an artifact."

"What kind of artifact?" Mabel asked and raised a brow.

"A claw made of massive gold."

Mabel's and Dipper's Eyes widened. This thing seemed expensive.

"Whatever. What do you want to buy? Or sell?"

"We wondered if you sell food?"

"Oh no, I don't. If you search for proviants, go to the Sleeping Giant Inn. They will happily serve you. I have other useful stuff however. Interested in lockpicks? Or materials to vreate armor and weapons? Or maybe a spell book?"

"What spells do you have?" Mabel asked intrigued and nearly jumped on the counter.

"Not many. To be honest, I don't even know for sure which spells these are."

"And how much does one cost?"

"700 Septim." Mabel looked in her bag. They had around 45 gold coins. She put one out and showed it. She was sure they had to be worth a lot of money, they were made out of gold afterall.

"How much is this worth?"

"1 Septim." he deadpanned. At least they now knew that this coins are called septims. A bit sad, the siblings left the shop and moved to the inn.

Once inside, they walked over to the bar. Dipper noticed an alchemie station standing at a wall to their right. Several people stood and sat around in the inn. At least one of them was already drunk.

"Hey. Can I help you? We have food, drinks and access to ingrediants to use in alchemy."

"What can we buy for 45 Septims?" Mabel asked.

"Some apples, a loaf of bread, wheat, blisterwort and some water."

The twins shrugged and handed over the money. He gave 25 of them back and gave them a bag with the proviant in it. Both thanked him and wanted to go outside, but Mabel noticed Dippers interest in the Alchemy station.

"Everything alright?" She asked.

"Yeah, I just would like to try out brewing sometimes."

"You are interested in alchemy kiddo?" The bouncer asked him.

"Yes, why?"

"Well, with the wheat and blisterwort I gave you, you can make a potion of healing."

"And how do I do that?" he replied.

"Just put them in the bowl and crush them into dust. Then put that powder into some water and heat it up." Dipper nodded and tried it out. Ten minutes later, the potion was ready. It shimmered red and he put it into the bag. Dipper felt great. He just made something that could potentialy save their lives.

As they wanted to leave, the twins noticed the bard arguing with some weird guy. He had pointy ears and slightly redish skin.

"Camilla is mine Sven! Forget it!" He yelled and left the inn.

Sven sat down and laid his head down in his hands. Dipper looked at Mabel, already knowing what she wanted to do. She always wanted to help with romance problems. And this was obviously one. It looked like the bard had a girlfriend called Camilla, but the elf stole her. Knowing that Mabel would feel bad for some weeks, he nodded in agreement. Mabel cheered and sat down next to the bard.

"Hey Mr. Bard, sir. What was that all about?"

"What? That thing with Faendal? Nothing, we are just after the same girl."

"Oh really? Who?"

"Camilla Valerius. She lives in the trader." Mabel and Dipper could already guess who she was.

"Well, and what does she think?" Dipper asked Sven.

"She knows I'm the best man in Riverwood. That elf is kidding himself if he think she would choose him over me. I've seen him sneaking over to Riverwood Trader to speak with her when I'm not around. He's waiting his time."

"And what's Faendal like?"

"This wood elf? He lives at the southern end of the town. Camilla would be way better of with me than a hunter like him."

"Hunter?" Dipper asked.

"Yeah. It's his job. He kills animal in the woods for his money. He seems to be bad at this however. I heard him raging about yesterday, when a bunny somehow escaped a trap he layed."

Mabel's eyes narrowed. She had a bad assumption. "Where was this trap?"

"On the road to Helgen. He even said he saw a dragon. What an idiot." Mabel now was sure. The bunny Faendal was angry about was Squiggels. And he was the one who broke his leg with the trap. She quickly conceived a plan to get a bit of revenge. No one would mess with a cute little bunny and get away with it. "He sounds persistant. Why not do something about it?" She said.

Dipper looked at his sister. He had the same suspicion about the bunny of course, but he did not like what Mabel was saying.

"You may be right. Camilla may see Faendal as little more than a friend, but why take chances?" He searched his bag and pulled out a letter. "Here. Give Camilla this letter. It's full of venomous nonsense. Tell her it's from Faendal." He handed the letter to Mabel who nodded aggressively.

She and Dipper left the inn and headed to the store.

"Mabel? You think this is the right thing to do?"

"Bro, he tried to kill Squiggels and crippled him. He needs some kind of punishment."

"Yeah, but you could destroy his life with it."

"Come on. He can find another girl. Besides, Sven looks like he has the more stable income."

"I can't change your mind about this, can't I?"

"Nope."

Dipper sighed. "Ok, but don't come to me if it turns out to be a mistake."

They arrived at the store. Inside, Camilla was still siting at the fireplace, eating a peace of bread. Mabel walked over to her and pulled out the letter.

"What is this? A letter?"

Mabel nodded and layed on a grin.

"Hm. From Faendal. Dear Camilla. I know I have called upon your house many times, and while we may be growing close, I need you to put the desire you have for me as…" She stopped readying loud and got more and more furios. ,,Oh this piece of sh-"

She looked up as she heard the door shut, and Dipper and Mabel where gone. They returned to Sven and told him the news.

"Now that's what I like to hear. Good work. I think you deserve some tips at the inn." He handed her a small sack of gold cold and began to play his flute, definitely more cheerful than before. Mabel looked into the sack and counted the money.

"Twenty five gold coins. Looks like love can make you money."

"Yeah, but normally it works different" a drunken man responded from a table close to them.

"Okay then. Time to go." Dipper sayed slowly. Creeped out they left the inn and saw Faendal running around in the distance. He looked pretty angry and shot randomly arrows at Camillas house and the inn. "You still think you did the right thing?" Dipper asked his sister.

"Yep. Come on. Lets get Squiggely and get going."

Dipper nodded and followed her. He was sure that this woul come back and bite them in the butt.

* * *

They returned to Alvor and picked up Squiggel. Mabel put him into the bag and gave him some salad. The twins said goodbye and thanks to Alvor, Sigrid, Dorthe and Hadvar before they left the town into Whiterun's direction.

* * *

 **Chapter four is officially up now. This one took a bit longer to write, since I actually had to start anew in Skyrim to get the dialogue for the shopowners and the quest with Sven and Faendal. Also, this story will not only focus on the main questline, but also some small sidequests and other questlines, such as the academy and dawnguard.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda, Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	5. An old friend

Chapter 5: An old friend

The road outside of the town was luckily just as well maintained as inside. It led them alongside a river, and the way was surrounded by colorful flowers, bushes. Insects flew around them. After crossing a small bridge the two saw a deer drinking from the river. It looked up and stared at them. Mabel waved and the deer ran up a mountain, on which Bleak Falls Barrow was located. They stepped closer to the river and filled up the waterskins Hadvar gave them. In the crystal-clear water the twins saw all kind of fish swimming around.

Both continued following the road up to the edge of the forest. In the distance they saw something that looked like a wall on top of a hill. Farms and little houses were scattered around it, and a tower stood far in the distance.

"Halt!" A female voice shouted from the woods. Between the trees they saw a human made out of metall walking toward them. The pines could make out an ax he had holstered at her waist. The Knight, or whatever she was, stopped for a second and then took up speed. Surprisingly,s he did not attack them. Instead, she hugged both of them. "Dudes. You are here too." The voice of the knight sounded familiar. The knight stood up and took of her helmet. Long, red hair was falling out of it and down her back. It wasn't a Knight at all.

"Wendy!?" both twins yelled happy. They returned the hug, happy to see a familiar face in this world.

"What are you doing here?" Dipper asked.

"I don't know. I was hammering some signs on the trees outside of the shack, when a storm came up and lighting struck me. Next thing I know, I woke up on a plain near that city there." She pointed at the wall in the distance. "Then some weird, armored, guys approached me and said they would give me some stuff f I'd guard this road. I agreed, they gave me this armor and made my ax glow." She pulled out her ax. Indeed, it was glowing in a weird light-blue. It was quite cooling. "And whats with you?"

"The same kinda happened to us."

"So, the same guys gave you that armor?"

"What? No." Dipper explained. "We were about to get executed, but a dragon saved us. We slept in this town called riverwood and they gave us this stuff."

Wendy just looked at them. Sure, her time here was weird, but at least she didn't nearly die. "You were about to get what?" She asked shocked.

"Yeah. It was just an misunderstanding though. Please, dont remind us of it." Mabel said. "Oh, and I found a rabbit! His name is Squiggels!" Mabel yelled and showed her the rodent.

"Oh. Sure it's a him though?"

"Good question. Anyways, I also destroyed a romance."

"Wait, what?"

"Long story. Hey, we where about to go to Whiterun. Do you know where that place is?"

"Yeah. It's that big city over there." She pointed at the city again. "Why though?"

"A friend in Riverwood asked us. We were tasked to bring them the news about the dragon, and ask them to send guards to defend the town. We also hope to find a way to get home."

"Cool, a 1uest. Hey, would you have a problem if I'd come with you?"

"Of course not. We were kind of hoping it." Dipper answered.

"Great. Lets get going. Also, cool bow dude."

Dipper blushed at the compliment. "Heh, thanks."

Mabel stepped between the two and pointed at her. "Hey? Wanna see what I can do?"

Wendy nodded . Mabel coughed and looked at the bushes. She concentrated and casted the flames spell, burning the bushes.

"Holy crap. That was awesome. How did you learn that?"

"Spellbooks. You just need to read them and bam. You are a master mage like me."

"Nice. What else can you do?"

"I can heal myself and…" she thought about it. She just referred to herself as a master mage, while she only knew two spells. She realised that she probably had a lot left to learn. "Actually, that are the only things I know right now."

"Cool. Can we get going then? Standing around get's really boring." They nodded and continued their way. The road down to the city was build alongside a waterfall. Salmons jumped up the water. Soon, they reached a farm, where the three heard screams from. They decided to investigate and looked over a small stone wall. Three warriors where fighting a giant. The monster had a club, but seemed overwhelmed by the warriors.

"Should we help them?" Mabel asked her friends.

"I dont know. This thing seems to be way to strong for us."

"But we cant just go away. What if they actually need help?"

Wendy and Dipper looked at each other and nodded. Dipper pulled out his bow and took aim. Wendy took her axe and jumped over the wall. To their surprise, and luck, the giant was already dead. One of the warriors noticed them and walked up to them. She was wearing an iron armor and had warpaint across her face. She stopped in front of the three and put her hand on her waist.

"Well, that's taken care of. No thanks to you."

"Hey! We tried our best!" Wendy shouted.

"Ha. Another milk drinker crying about his effort. Glory only awaits those who triumph. And as Companions, our glory must always be hard-fought."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Wendy yelled. Dipper noticed how angry she was and tried to change the subject.

"Who are the Companions?" Mabel asked them.

"Outsiders, eh? Never heard of the Companions? An order of warriors. We are brothers and sisters in honor. And we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough"

2So, you are mercenaries?" Dipper said.

"Basically. But we have honor, and don't do anything to the innocent, or fight in wars and stuff like that. And who are you? Her kids?"

They looked shocked at each other. "No! We are just friends." All of them said.

"Well, if you think you are better than we are, go talk to Kodlak Whitemane. See what a warrior of true mettle is like." She did a handsign at her fellow Companions and they moved toward the city.

The three looked back at the dead giant. A chicken sat down on its chest and began to build a nest.

"Well, that was a thing." Mabel deadpanned. Wendy was still angry at the Companion.

"Calm down. Just forget it. Let's keep going." Dipper said, and to his suprise it actually called her down.

Mabel got closer to the corpse, took a stick and pocked the giant. "Mabel, can we go?"

"Okay, coming!" She yelled over, and shortly after they continued their way towards Whiterun. They needed to hurry, the sun was already setting.

* * *

 **And there is the warrior character.**

 **The armor Wendy is wearing is a Steel armor.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	6. Whiterun

Chapter 6: Whiterun

"Halt!" The Guard standing at the entrance shouted and blocked the citygate with his sword. The trio thought that they would get in easily. Afterall, the first gate on the way up the hill the city was build on was wide open. But now two guards stood in their way. "City's closed with dragons about. Official Business only."

"We have news from Helgen. About the dragon attack!" Dipper explained, and noticed that the guards had the same helmet on their heads as Wendy had earlier. He wondered is they were just popular, or if the guys Wendy got her stuff from got it another way.

The guards looked at each other and stepped aside. "Fine, but we'll keep an eye out for you."

They entered the city and noticed that, just like in Riverwood, the smithy was at the entrance. In the distance was a big palace, which was probably where the Jarl resided. Although it was fairly late, the city was still busy. At the smithy, a man was arguing with someone, who was, judging by her clothes, running or at least working at the smithy.

"We'll pay whatever it takes. But we must have more swords for the imperial soldiers."

The woman sighed. "I just can't fill an order this size on my own. Why don't you swallow that stubborn pride of you'rs and ask Eorlund Gray-Mane for help?"

"Ha! I'd sooner bend my knee to Ulfric Stormcloak. Besides, Gray-Mane would never make steel for the legion."

The blacksmith crossed her arms in response. "Have it your way. I'll take the job, but dont expect a miracle."

He nodded and walked away. The woman stepped inside and shut the door. The three were able to hear yelling coming from the inside."

"Huh. Seems like this Rebellion is still going." Dipper muttered.

"What Rebellion?" Wendy asked.

"Oh right. You probably never heard of it." Dipper explained Wendy what they knew. About the imperials, the stormcloaks and how the dragon kinda aided the rebels. And that neither Mabel or Dipper were sure who was in the right and who in the wrong. Wendy said that its best to not get involved in the whole thing. The twins agreed with that.

They moved along the street and saw a house that looked like a shop. The friends counted their supplies and decided to buy some more food. Immediatly after entering the shop, a elf greeted them. "Hello and welcome in the drunken huntsmen. How can I help you?" They stepped up to the counter and asked him what he had for sale. "Oh yes. I have all kinds of hunting supplies. Bows, arrows, armor. Whatever you need."

Dipper already wanted to leave, but Wendy and Mabel stopped him. "What?"

"How many arrows do you have left?" Dipper looked at his supply and noticed that he had, in fact, only three left. "How much does one arrow cost?"

"Well, normally it would be two gold, but since you are kids, I'll go down one gold." Dipper thought for a second and decided to buy ten more arrows.

Before leaving, Mabel turned around. "Hey, why is this place called the drunken huntsmen? Sounds more like a tavern."

"Yes, I hear that question often. My brother Anoriath and I came up with it one night after consuming… rather too much mead. After our drinks, we went out for a moonlight hunt. We got separated, and in his drunken state, my brother mistook me for a deer. He shot an arrow and peirced my… well, my rumb. After such a memorable adventure, we knew we had the name for our shop." the Shopkeep explained.

The trio chuckled and left the store. They were glad that the people here at least had a sense of humor.

* * *

A short walk later, they found themselves on a market place. They decided to buy something from one of the stalls. On the counter they saw cheese, bread, wheat and vegetables.

"Hello. What can we buy for 20 Gold?" Mabel asked.

"What? Oh, yes. Of course." The woman running the stall seemed distracted.

Mabel wondered is something is wrong, and asked. "Is something wrong?"

the stallowner sighed. "Life`s hard enough with all these men propositioning to me. But that bard is the worst." She told her.

Wendy stepped a bit forward. "Are you popluar or something?"

She smiled. "You've got no idea. Half the men in Whiterun have proposed to me. Some were even single. They'll never understand. No amount of flowers or honeyed words are going to change my mind. Right now, all that matters is my daughter Mila. No man's going to get between me and my little girl."

"That sounds annoying." Dipper replied.

"It is, trust me. That Guard Mikael is begging for a dagger up against throat, the way he goes on about me."

"Okay, okay. We don't have to got that far, alright?" Mabel said, shocked at the threat.

"What does he say?" Wendy asked.

"I've heard him boasting at the Bannered Mare, saying he'll conquer me as a true Nord conquers any harsh beast." She pointed at a building standing right next to the market.

"We could try to talk to him." Mabel offered.

"If you want to try, go right ahead. I don't think anyone will get through the thick skull of his, though."

"We will try. Dont worry." Dipper said. Like promised, they entered the inn. It was way more comfortable then the one back in Riverwood. A fireplace was burning in the middle of the room, with benches standing around it, and a dozen tables with chairs were standing at the walls. At the fireplace, a bulky looking man sat down with a glass of mead in his hand. In a niche in the back of the room, a female nord sat alone. Behind one of the benches, a blond nord was playing a lute. They guessed that he was Mikael, which was confirmed when he talked to a woman and got slapped.

They approached him. He rubbed his cheek and looked at them. "Oh, can I do something for you?"

"Indeed you can." Dipper replied. "We want you to stop hitting on the girl form the Market stall."

"Who? Carlotta Valentina? As if. She is already mine, she just doesn't know it yet."

"Seriously dude. This is creepy. She has feelings, you know?" Wendy replied.

"Yeah. For me."

"Are you serious?" Mabel deadpanned. "She's not your's. Stop this crap."

He seemed to think about it for a second. "Oh no, she is."

Wendy sighed and pulled out her ax, and Mikael's eyes widened.

"What are you doing?" Dipper asked.

"Following Carlotta's advice."

"Calm down, okay? Maybe you're right. I- I guess I just didn't want anyone to think I couldn't handle one nord lass. On my honor, I won't ever bother Carlotta again." He screamed in fear.

"Alrighty then." Wendy put her weapon away again. They nodded and left the inn.

"Was that really necessary?" Mabel asked her friend.

"Would you have wanted to stay there and try to convince him?"

Mabel shrugged and they returned to Carlotta to told her the good news.

"Really? You have convinced that lute player to stop chasing me? I'd thank the gods, but I'll settle for thinking you." She looked under the counter and pulled up a sack. "Here's some coin for your help."

"Oh no. You don't need to pay us." Mabel said.

"No please. Take it. It's the least I can do."

The trio exchanged some looks and shrugged. They looked into the sack and counted fifty gold coins. Now they wanted to check out the other shops with the money. The first one they visited was called Belethors general goods. After entering, they were greeted by a rather unusual welcome. The trader, probably Belethor, said that he will sell anything, even his own sister. He then said that he would buy one of their relatives if they would be willing to trade. Mabel was disappointed again that the spell tomes costed too much money and they proceeded into the store next to the goods store: Arcadia Cauldron.

Dipper was especially intrigued by the shop. Since he made the potion this morning he was quite interested what else one could create with alchemy. They entered it and the woman behind the counter, presumably Arcadia, welcomed them. "If there's anything I can help you with, you have but to ask."

Dipper walked up to the counter. "I wondered what you can tell me about alchemy."

"Oh, a new Alchemist? What do you want this knowledge for? Making potions and cure ills? Or poisons and venoms?"

"Actually, Ijust want to know more about it. I don't have any intentions with it."

"Well, I can tell you a recipe if you want."

"Sure, go on."

"Use some Mudcrab Chitin and a Hawk Feather and you get a potion that cures diseases."

Dipper smiled. "Thanks."

"That would be two Septim." Aracdia added.

"Really? Fine." He pulled out two coins and gave them to her. The three left the shop, and Dipper was pretty happy to have the recipe for medicine. In addition, now they also knew that healing potions only treats physical wounds, not illness.

* * *

They were about to walk up some stairs when Mabel realised something. "Guys, wasn't there a way to cure Squiggels somewhere in this city?" They looked around and hoped to be able to spot that place. After the stairs, they were in the middle of a pavillon, with a giant, dead tree at the center. To their right was a big building, which looked like a boat laying on the top. In front of them was the way to the palca and to the left was a building with an entrance lowered into the ground. They discussed for were to go and decided to visit the building with the lowered entrance.

Inside, they were approached by an old man. The room looked like some kind of church. "Tell me, do you believe in mighty Arkay, god of life and dead?"

They were confused. To be fair, no one of them did, or heard of him. Mabel and Dipper never really believed in some kind of deity, especially after their first meeting with Bill Cipher. Wendy just didn't care if gods exist or not. She was also the first one to speak up. "Religion isn't a big part of our lives."

"I see. Well, perhaps you'll take pity on a humple priest who has lost something precious."

"What did you loose?" Wendy asked.

"My Amulet of Arkay. It's the source of my divine powers. And also a sacred badge of office. I misplaced it in the catacombs. I'd look for it, but I've been hearing noises from down there. I fear the dead have become… restless."

"Zombies." Mabel and Dipper said at the same time.

"Without that amulet, I'm powerless to confront them." He looked at them as if he would check out their equipment. "But you seem well armed. Would you be willing to search for it?"

"One moment please." Dipper said and whispered to talk with Mabel and Wendy. "What do you two say?"

"I think we should help him. If Zombies would overrun the city we could have a big problem. Also, the last time the undead attacked, " ran away. And fighting zombies would be cool." Wendy said excited.

"But what about Squiggels?"

"We can ask him if he is able to help when we got his amulet. I mean, how hard can it be to get one little amulet." Dipper suggested.

Mabel nodded and they turned back to the priest. "We've decided to help you."

"I'll just wait here and make sure nothing foul escapes the catacombs. Here. This way." He led them to a door and opened it for them.

They stepped in and the priest closed the door behind the three. The catacombs were build completely out of stone. Skeletons layed in little cut outs in the wall. The only lightsource in the whole complex were a couple of torches. The way parted in front of them, with stairs on either side. They walked down the left way and searched the tables and cut outs for the amulet. Suddenlly they heard footsteps behind them. They turned around and saw four skeletons with swords and shields standing there.

"So, no zombies?" Wendy said, a bit disappointed.

The undead charged at the group, who drew their weapons. Mabel instantly burned one of the skeletons with fire. The bones began to turn black from the burns, but the monster itself kept standing. Wendy attacked another one in the mean time, but the skeleton pulled up his shield, blocking the axe strike. To everyone surprise, the shield froze.

Dipper shot an arrow at one skeleton wielding a two handed ax. It hit its ribcage and got stuck, hindering its moving. He shot another arrow and hit the skull of the undead. It cracked and the skeleton fell down, clacking as the bones rolled over the ground.

Mabel still had to deal with the one skeleton that attacked her. All its bones were black and burned. She thought for a short moment, before noticing the blue glow in the eyes of the thing. She aimed at them with her flames. The skeleton got down on his knees, which allowed her to burn the other side of its head. It was pretty clear to her that the skulls were the source of their newly acclaimed life. It burned black, before her enemy collapsed and fell apart.

Wendy had another idea. She knew that frozen things break a lot easier than normally, and hoped this would happen to the shield to. She hit it two times with the ax and duck under a swordslash. She kicked him, or her, in the legs and used the chance to hit the shield again. It finally cracked and opened an attack window. She brought her weapon down on its spine, cutting it in two and killing the skeleton. Again.

The last one tried to leave the catacombs, and knocked the door. The priest opened and, out of shock, instantly closed the door again. The skeleton was hit by the massive metalldoors and knocked against the wall, killing it.

"Welp. We just killed three undead." Wendy deadpanned and they continued their search.

"Yeah. We're, like, total heroes." Mabel said proudly.

Dipper opened a jar and looked for the amulet. "I wouldn't go that far."

In the room in the back of the catacombs, they found the amulet lying on a table. "There it is. Let's get it back."

When walking past the skeletons again, Mabel noticed something blinking in the remains. She kicked away a bone a picked up the shining gold coin.

Outside, they gave the priest his amulet back, and he paid them fifteen coins for their help. They asked him if he could help Squiggels, and he told them to visit the Temple of Kynareth. When they left the Hall of the Dead, they noticed that it was already dark. Wondering how much time they had spend down there they moved over to the temple, which was standing directly next to the Hall.

* * *

The trio entered and was speechless. It didn't look like a temple at all, but rather like some kind of spa. On four benches layed people. Appearently this was like a hospital. Another thing they noticed were the clothes of the injured. Some wore stormcloak uniforms, some emperial ones.

An old woman, dressed in a yellow cloak, approached them. "Hello young travellers. Welcome to Kynareth's temple. How can I be of assistance?"

"Seems pretty full here." Dipper pointed out. They looked around the room.

"Indeed. The temple here in the city is my charge. The goddess's divine blessings have no doubt helped make Whiterun a thriving and prosperous city. After all, it is she who brings rain to our crops and fair weather on the harvest days. Those people here are victims of the Civil war. Wounded and crippled on battle. So, who of you needs help?"

"None of us. In fact, my little pet could use help. I found him stuck in a trap, and broke him out. But his leg is broken." The priestess took the bunny and put it down on a table.

"You know, I rarely heal animals. This could take a bit longer. There are some books back there, if you want to do something in the meantime."

They agreed and walked over to the Bookshelf. To their luck, the books were written in english and a understandable writing. They each chose one and sat on the floor. Mabel chose one that talked about magic and was called _Withershins._ Dipper read _Alchemists Journal,_ and Wendy chose _Argonian Account, Volume 1._

After some time. The priestess bought back the rabbit, which was completely healed. Mabel smiled and hugged the woman. "Thanks for helping him."

"Not thanks needed. I work for Kynareth. This is my duty."

* * *

They left the temple and rent a room at the inn to stay for the night. In the next morning, they would meet with the jarl. All of them hoped that he could help them to get home.

* * *

 **This is definately the longest chapter yet.**

 **I thought it would be a good idea to write down the skill trees the twins and Wendy "level up", so here they are:**

 **Dipper:**

 **\- Sneaking  
\- Archery  
\- Alchemy  
\- Heavy Armor  
\- Lockpicking  
\- One handed  
\- Light armor  
**

 **Mabel:**

 **\- Restoration  
\- Destruction  
\- Enchantment  
\- Alteration  
\- Conjuration  
\- Illusion  
\- Speech  
**

 **Wendy:**

 **\- One handed  
\- Two handed  
\- Heavy armor  
\- Block  
\- Enchantment- Pickpocketing  
**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	7. The Jarl

Chapter 7: The Jarl

It was morning in Skyrim. The people in Whiterun were already busy with their duties. Wendy was still getting ready, and the twins walked to a alcove in the city wall, overlooking the plains around Whiterun. They saw snowy mountains in the distance.

"Hey." Mabel broke the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Did you ever wonder why we're here?"

"What are you talking about?" Wendy said, as she approache behind them.

"Nothing. Are you ready to go?"

She nodded, and they made their way towards the palace. The way up was pretty easy. They had to climb a couple of stairs and cross a bridge. They explained the situation to the guards standing in front of the door, who allowed them in. The inside was breathtaking. It was a giant hall, illuminated by chandeliers. The dining tables on the in the middle were full of delicious looking meals, probably even more than at the Northwest-Party. Who they supposed was the Jarl sat at the end of the hall on a big throne. Over his head hung the skull of a Dragon. The Jarl was talking with someone, and two guards stood next to him on both sides. They slowly approached him, and were able to listen to the conversation.

"I only council caution. We can't afford to act rashly in times like this." The man next to the Jarl explained. Mabel sighed. Politics, one of the most boring things in existance. And not the thing they wanted to put up with now.

"What would you have me do, then? Nothing?" the Jarl asked his friend.

"My Lord, please. This is no time for rash action. I just think we need more action before we can act. I just-" He was interrupted by the Jarl.

"Who's this then?" he asked. A female darkelf, armored in iron and armed with a sword, walked towrds the three visitors.

"What's the meaning of this interruption? Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving any visitors."

Dipper spoke up. "Riverwood wants us to give a message directly to the Jarl."

"Whatever you have to say to the Jarl, you can say to me." She answered, angry. "I'm staying to think…"

At this point the Jarls raised his hand behind her. "It's alright, Irileth. I want to know what they have to say."

She moved out of the way, but always had her red eyes on them. It was clear that she was some kind of bodyguard to him. They approached the throne and, out of respect, bowed down before him, hoping that this isn't a sign of disrespect in this place.

"Get up. What is the thing you wanted to tell me, children?"

Dipper began to speak, something they decided last evening. "A dragon kinda destroyed Helgen. Alvor is afraid Riverwood is next."

The Jarls eyes widened, and he rubbed his chin with his hand. "Alvor? The Smith, isn't he? Reliable, solid fellow. Not prone to flights of fancy." He thought for a moment and continued. "So, you were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with you own eyes?"

"Yes. We had a great view while the imperials were trying to cut off my head." Mabel said, still angry about that.

The Jarl was shocked. Dipper pocked Mabel in the shoulder with his elbow, but he was not sure if she felt it through her armor. "Really? They tried to cut off the heads of three children?" The Jarl asked.

"Well, two to be exact. We met up with Wendy later." Dipper corrected.

The Jarl looked at them and continued. "It's not my concern who the Imperials want to execute. Especially now. What I want to know is what exactly happened at Helgen."

This was an interesting response. It seemed like the Jarl was either with the Stormcloaks, or neutral in the conflict.

Dipper took over the conversation again, trying to stop Mabel from saying something that would get their head choped off for real. "The Imperials were about to execute that Ulfric guy, then the dragon attacked."

"I should have known Ulfric would be mixed up in this." Balgruuf muttered. Now they were sure that he was neutral.

"The dragon destroyed the town, and last time we saw it, it was heading this way."

Ulfric stood up. "By Ysmir, Irileth was right!" He turned to the man nect to him. "What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strenght of our walls? Against a dragon?"

"I mean, a dragon can just fly over it." Wendy pointed out.

Irileth came closer. "My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. It's in the most immediate danger. If that dragon is lurking in the mountains…"

Proventus interrupted her. "The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation! He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him."

Dipper saw to Mabel, who was petting her rabbit, which she still kept in the bag. She really wasn't interested in all of this.

"We should not…"

Luckily, Balgruuf stopped the argument of the two. "Enough! I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once."

She bowed down a bit. "Yes, my Jarl." Proventus walked towards a staircase that led above the throne room. "If you'll excuse me, I'll Return to my duties." with that, he was gone. They guessed that he was angry to have lost the argument. Irileth left too and left the four alone.

The Jarl walked up toward the trio. "Well done. You sought me out, in your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it. Here, take this as a small token of my esteem." He reached to his throne and gave them all some jewelry, a ring for Dipper, a circlet for Mabel and a necklace for Wendy. Each had a different stone worked in: The ring had an emerald, the necklace an ruby and the circlet an saphirre. The all were made out of pure silver. Before they could thank him however, he continued with his speech. To their suprise, they actually liked him. The three of them thought he would be an stuck up a-hole, only caring for his wealth. But he was actually concerned for his people and took action to defend them. "There is another thing you could do for me. Suitable for people of your talents in particular, perhaps. Come, let's go find Farengar, my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and… rumors of dragons."

They were excited to see an actual wizard, master of magic. Mabel in particular. The last wizard she met was invisible, and everytime she tried to explain to Dipper there was invisible wizard in the closet, he did not believe her.

* * *

They followed the Jarl into a room on the side of the hall. In it was a counter, a map which probably showed the province, a shelf with purple Crystals on it and an alchemy table in the back, standing besides a table with a pentagramm on it. On the counter, a guy in a robe was looking over a map.

"Farengar, I think I've found some people that can help you with your dragon project. Go ahead and fill them in with all the details."

Farengar looked up and inspected the three friends. "So, the Jarl thinks you can be of use for me? Three kids? One an archer, maybe thief. One an unexperienced mage and one a warrior without training?" The friends looked at each other.

Although Dipper was slightly annoyed that he was just called a thief, he couldn't help but be impressed by the wizard's judging skills. But they were worried that he would not want their help. Of course, he was right. Even if they woul be accepted, it was not clear that they would actually be able to do it. Or survive. But they wanted to help. They are probably the ones who knew most about the dragon, and thus the best chance for Whiterun.

"Oh yes, he must be reffering to my research into the dragons." Farengar said, suddenly in a better mood. "Yes, I could use someone to fetch something for me. Well, when I say fetch, I mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not actually be there."

They stared at each other again. This did not sound well. But at least the wizard was honest. They got the job, kind of, but were not sure if they could survive this.

Mabel decided to get some more info on it before they accepted. "What does this have to do with dragons?"

"Ah, no mere brute mercenaries, but thinkers. You see, when the stories of dragons began to circulate, many dismissed them as mere fantasies, rumors. Impossibilities. One sure mark of a fool is to dismiss anything that falls outside his experiences as being impossible." Dipper could not agree more. Especially after this summer. "But I began to search for Information about dragons, where they had gone all those years ago. And where were they coming from."

So the dragons were gone for a time, long enough to fall into legends, and are back now. The three found that interesting. But how can something like dragons disappear?

"I, ah, learned of a certain stone tablet said to be housed in Bleak Falls Barrow." And there it was. They knew the place thanks to Hadvar, and knew that it was full of undead. But thanks to yesterday, they were sure that they could handle some skeletons. "A Dragonstone, said to contain a map of dragon burial sites. Go to Bleak Falls Barrow, find this tablet, no doubt in the main chamber, and bring it to me. Simplicity itself." It actually seemed easy. Get in, take the stone, and get the hell out of there.

",And what can you tell us about Bleak Falls Barrow?" Wendy asked the wizard. "Is there anything dangerous in there?"

"An old tomb, built by the ancient nords, perhaps dating back to the Dragon War itself."

"Dragon war?" Mabel wondered.

"Yes, never heard of it? A war in the first era. When the humans freed themselves from the reign of the dragons?"

Dipper guessed that this was the event that led to the disappearence of those lizard. "So, where all the dragons killed in the dragon war?" he asked.

"Oh no. Many were killed, of course. But many survived into historical times. Why, this very place was built by one of Balgruuf's ancestors to hold a captive dragon. Hence it's name, Dragonsreach."

"Thanks for the info. So, can you tell us how to get up to the ruin?"

"Of course. When you walk towards Riverwood, you will find a little path leaving up to it. It should be marked by some stone structures."

"We accept! Anything else we need to know?" Mabel replied.

"Well, not much. Only that you should not worry about taking stuff that is laying inside the tomb. It doesn't belong to anyone, so you can basically keep anything you find in there."

The trio looked at each other. It was a good deal. If they found something that is worth a lot, they could make a lot of money and would not need to count every single coin anymore. Maybe even buy a small hut to have a place to stay.

"Also, before you go. I would like to speak with you two." He pointed at Wendy and Dipper. Mabel shrugged and left the room. He sighed. "Listen. I know that little girl wants to be a mage."

"How did you know this anyway?" Wendy asked him.

"I'm an experienced wizard. I know a mage when I see one. I just have one thing to ask you."

"Which is?" Dipper wondered.

"Try to keep her from getting obsessed." Both were confused. "See, Magic in and of itself is something great. It can help you defend yourself, help others and much more. But, if you get obsessed with it, it can change you. If you don't look out for yourself, you can become dangerous, maybe even someone who would be called a villain." He pulled out a little note. "There is a place in Skyrim called the College of Winterhold. I would advice you to go there at least once, so they can tell her how to use this power responsible. Such a young and innocent soul can be tainted rather quick."

Dipper took the note. On it was the location of this college. He was worried. If what Farengar said is true, than it was best to visit it as soon as possible Actually, he had noticed Mabel getting a bit too happy with her powers. "Will do. Thanks for the advice."

"Great. And now off to Bleak Falls Barrow with you. The Jarl is not a patient man. Neither am I, come to think of it."

* * *

They waved goodbye and left the castle. Down in the city, Mabel left her pet by Danica in the temple, who agreed to take care of it in the mean time. Mabel's Charisma was still as astounding as it was back at home. This was a trait of her that could only come in handy. Dipper was still thinking about Farengar's words though. What if she would become to obsessed with it? What if she would become power hungry? Would they be able to stop her?

They bought a torch and a map from Belethor and left through the maingate, walking the same path they did yesterday, only backwards.

After they found the path, they began to climb the mountain. As they were getting higher, the air got colder. Eventually, the cobblestone path changed into snow. Of course, the air down in the forest was already harsh, but not worse than a bad day in the northern hemisphere of Earth. But up here, it was like a blizzard. If it weren't for the armor, all of them would have already frozen to death.

It was not long until they discovered the first part of the ruin. It was a little tower, standing on the edge of a cliff. When they approached it, the trio saw something weird. The inside was filled with crates, hay and a oil lamp. Nothing one would find in an abandoned ruin. The best guess they had was that someone used this place as a home, or place to stay for the nihgt. There was no one inside, however. The one thing they found were massive scratches on a wall. It looked like a fight was taking its course here. On the second level, after walking up a ramp, they finally found the ones who owned it. All three were dead. Massive claw marks and burns covered their body. It looked like they were attacked by a dragon. And considered the direction it took, and where this tower was located, it wasn't impossible. They decided to search the chest for loot and found some stuff: A white potion, a broom, some coins and a sword. They left the sword and brow there and took the rest with them. Downstairs they found another sack of gold and picked it up too.

After that, the friends continued their way to the ruin, which was already visible. And it was indeed a spectacular sight. The entrance was build into the mountainside. Giant stairs led up to it, and massive arches stood everywhere. On their top, two massive dragonheads, made out of stone, looked over the place. They also found more burn marks, and a burned out fireplace. It looked like the dragon really attacked someone here, and hoped this people got out okay.

After walking up the stairs, they finally entered the tomb.

* * *

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	8. Bleak Falls Barrow

Chapter 8: Bleak Falls Barrow

Inside the tomb was a burned put fireplace, with dead, rat-like animals scattered around it. There was no one here however, and the three guessed that who had this fire set up, ran outside when the dragon attacked. They also saw a chest, but no one had a lock pick to open it. Without much to do here, they entered the first hallway. It was obvious that the ruin was thousands of years old. A lot of walls and pillars were broken down, with veins and other plants growing out of the wall, ceiling ad ground.

At the end of the hallway was another room, with the gate closed. In the middle of the room was the body of a man, next to a lever. A couple of arrows surrounded him. Two carvings were hanging on the wall above the gate. One showed a snake and the other one some kind of whale or fish. The third one appearently broke down and fell down on the ground. The snake on it was still visible though. To their left were three stones, one of which had the picture of a snake on it.

"...So, does anyone have an idea?" Wendy asked.

Mabel just stepped forth and pulled the lever. A dozen arrows flew into her direction, and she quickly rolled out of the way. Dipper approached the stones and noticed an arrow carved into the ground. He pushed the left one and it turned, revealing the picture of a snake. He pushed again, and now an whale, or fish, was visible. He looked at the carvings at the wall again and noticed that they showed the same Symbols. He tried the code, snake-snake-whale, and pushed the lever. The door opened and revealed the path.

"That was easy." Mabel stated.

"A bit too easy." Dipper added.

They entered the next room and found a table. They took the stuff on it, a book, a gem and some kind of purple crystal. The trio wanted to move on, but heard sounds from the staircase leading deeper into the tomb. Suddenly, two rat like creatures ran up the stairs and attacked them. Luckily, they did not come through their armor. Wendy kicked one away, and it hit a wall, before falling down. The other one tried to bite in Mabel's unarmored face, but flew to the right as an arrow impaled it. Mabel looked over to her brother, who put his bow back on his back.

"You killed it!" She cried.

"It was about to bite your face! This things are probably carnivores, and carry diseases!"

"Rats don't eat meat."

"They also don't become the size of a dog."

She wanted to say something, but realised that he was right. This world was not like Earth. Either it is you or the creatures that attack you. "Okay. Im sorry. Thank you."

They continued their way downstairs, and heard someone crying and begging for help. Following the voice, they found the way obstructed by cobwebs. Wendy and Dipper stepped back while Mabel burned them down. Behind them was a giant room. The walls were full of cobwebs, and all sorts of creatures hanged from the roof, webbed into cocoons. A big trapdoor was in the ground, and in the back of the room was a man, nearly covered in webs.

"Is… is someone coming?" He asked, his voice tired and full of fear. "Is that you, Harknir? Bjorn? Soling?"

They shrugged, and wanted to go help him, before noticing a giant shadow on the ground. The friends looked up and saw the most horrifying thing up to that point. On the ceiling, below an hole which led daylight in, was a giant Frostbite spider. It jumped down, and they saw the monster in full form. The ones the twins fought below Helgen were dwarves against this one. It was roughly the size of a van, with legs spanning as wide as the gift shop in the shack. It was the embodiment of the word "Nope".

"No. Not again! Kill it! Get me out of here." the captured guy screamed.

Out of pure fear, the trio turned around and ran towards the exit. They were to late however, as the spider threw a net from her back and covered the doorway. Of course, they could burn it down again, but it was still fresh, and thus, wet. It would take too long. So, they readied their weapons to engage the broodmother. Wendy slided below it, striking one of its left legs. Mabel threw fire at it, burning its mandibels. Dipper shot Arrows through the flames, setting them on fire and impaling the left of the monster's head. The spider shook, as Wendy cut off one of the legs. This however, led to Dipper missing his next shot and hitting some nets on the wall, setting them on fire. The monster striked at Mabel with her legs, but said girl jumped out of the way and set the leg on fire. Wendy meanwhile attacked the back of the spider, and froze the spinneret with a strike of her ax. The monster turned around a spit venom at her, but she duck just in time. Dipper shot another arrow, which hit the back of the creature's head. The spider shook again, but was instantly engulfed by flames. Mabel was trying to burn it down, but her fire stopped for some reason.

"What? Why?" She yelled as the spider came closer to her.

"You have run out of Magicka!" The prisoner in the back yelled.

"What do I do?" She yelled back.

"Use a potion. Blue ones!" He replied.

The spider jumped at her, but she rolled away just in time. She pulled out a blue potion from the bag and drank it with one sip. She could feel the Magicka return and proceeded to attack the back of the spider. This melted the ice however, and the spider shot a net at Wendy, pinning her down. Then it spit again and hit her chest. The venom quickly disappeared on the steel of her armor though, leaving behind some marks. Since her arms were still movable, she threw her axe at the arachnid, severing another leg. The spider cried out in pain, and recieved an arrow to her head. It slowly lost stamina. Dipper shot a last arrow through Mabel's flames and hit it right between the eight eyes, and the fire engulfed its whole head. The Spider fell dead to the ground.

They catched their breath, and approached the dead body. Mabel pocked it with an arrow, and then gave it back to her brother, who took the ones he shot at the spider back. He picked up Wendys ax and used it to cut down the cobwebs around Wendys feet. They looked around fro more spiders, and walked over to the prisoner when they were sure it was safe.

"You did it! You killed it. Not bad for mere kids if I may add. Now cut me down before anything else shows up."

"Fine, hold tight." Mabel wanted to burn the net, but Dipper (and the prisoner) told her not to, worried that it could kill him. Wendy used her ax instead and freed him. He looked at them for a moment and laughed. "You fools, why should I share the treasure with anyone?" He ran off deeper into the now open dungeon.

"Hey you jerk! We just saved your butt! What about thanking us?" Mabel yelled after him.

He turned his head around, and was thus not able to see his path. "Thanks for being so gullible!" He tripped and fell the ground, knocking himself out instantly. They walked over to him.

"You know, for an adventurerer this was pretty pathetic." Wendy stated, looking at something next to him. It looked like a golden claw.

Mabel noticed it too and poked Dipper with her elbow. "Hey Bro-bro. Isn't that the claw this one guy in Riverwood was talking about?"

Dipper thought for a moment. "I think you're right. Lets take it and give it back to him." He picked it up and put it in their bag.

"And what are we going to do with him?" Mabel asked and pointed at the unconscius bandit.

"Lets tie him up and leave him here. Once we are back in a town, we can tell the guards where he is." Wendy suggested. They liked the idea and searched for something that could do the trick, and ended up using an old rope laying on a altar. "So, now that this is taken care of, want to go?"

* * *

The three followed the hallway until the entered the actual tomb. However, the corpses in the wall weren't skeletons. Instead, they possesed skin, muscles and armor. They either died recently, or the mummification methods of the ancient nords were extremely good. Probably to good, since some of them got up from their slumber.

"Dipper? What was that about skeletons?" Wendy pointed out.

The undead's eyes were glowing blue, and they were equipped with swords, axes and shields. It were five enemies, two were using axes, two swords and one used a bow. Wendy blocked the first enemy strike, and hit her ax into its belly. The Draugr stumbled back and lost his head to a second axe strike. Wendy didn't look around though, and was hit with the blade of a sword. It hit her in the shoulder and cracked a bit of metal, which was weakened from the spider's acidic venom. The weapons of this things seemed to be pretty strong, especially considering how old they must be. Mabel used flames to hold one of the Draugr with a sword on distance, and Dipper shot an arrow in its head, killing it instantly. The undead archer shot at him, and pierced his leg. Dipper screamed in pain, and quickly pulled out an potion of healing and drank it, instantly repairing his leg. He shot back, but missed his enemy, instead hitting a corpse behind the Draugr. Dipper took aim again, but needed to get out of the way as an arrow flew at him.  
Luckily for Wendy, the sword got stuck in her shoulder pad and left the Draugr defenseless, and an easy target. One strike later the Draugr had an ax stuck in his ribcage, ice coming out of the wound. Mabel killed another Ax-Draugr and tried to aid Dipper with the last one. She casted fire in the sight of the undead warrior and reduced his aim capabilities. Dipper shot an Arrow, which catched fire and hit the Monster in the belly. It got down on his knees, and was headshoted into Sovngarde.

They gathered around one of the corpse. "Those guys were pretty tough." Mabel said.

Dipper kicked one of the fallen enemies. "Yeah. Let's hope that they were the only ones."

"Hey dudes, what about searching them?" Wendy suggested, meeting confused faces.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, looking if they have gold with them. Or jewelry. Or something else we can sell." They shrugged and searched the Draugr. Some of them indeed had some gold with them, one even a potion. Dipper took the arrows from the archer and they proceeded through the Dungeon.

The trio walked through the crypt as fast as possible. At the end however, one of the stones on the ground looked weird. It had nordic carvings on it. Only one. They stayed back, and Dipper took a stone and threw it on the plate. With a crack, a big spikewall flew over the plate, hitted the wall and moved back slowly. They stood there with wide eyes. If they would've moved a bit faster, or didn't notice the plate, they would have been dead now. The three friends carefully moved around the trap and stepped inside the hallway behind it. Another Draugr stood in a alcove in the wall, and awoke as they walked past him. He had an nordic two-hander and immediatly slashed at the trio. They duck and the Draugr lost his standing and fell. Before he could stand up, an ax, arrow and fire hit his back, killing him instantly. He too had some coins with him.

In the next room, Dipper held his friends back. He didn't want to be surprised again, and be on the save side. He pulled out his bow and took aim at one Draugr resting in an alcove. It hit the ancient nord and he fell. The noise woke two more undead though. The first one attacked with a sword, but was quickly decapitated thanks to Dipper and Wendys teamwork. The second one attacked Mabel and used magic, although ice, himself. When his attacks hit the ground, it became light blue and froze. The two spells crashed, and Mabel's fire quickly won, burning the Draugr down.

At the end of the room, they had two ways to go. The one to the right was broken down, but it looked like a chest was sticking out of the rubble. The left path was blocked by multiple ax blades, swinging from on side to the other. One hit from them, and whatever unfortunate soul tried to pass would be dead. They looked into the chest first and found a bit of gold, plus a potion of restoration. Now they had to deal with the trap. Dipper observed the pattern of the deathtrap and noticed that they all were up in the ceiling for about one and a half second. He got an idea, and took some rocks, trying to block the blade mechanic with them. After many, many tries the first ax stopped swinging, as the rock finally got stuck where the axe was hanging from. He repeated the process with the other blades, opening a path.

After killing another Draugr, they proceeded, only to be stopped again, this time by Mabel.

"Whats wrong?" Wendy asked.

"See that oil there?" She pointed down on the ground, where an slick of oil filled the entire bottom of the hallway before them. She readied her flames and casted the spell on the oil. It ignited and burned for solid ten seconds. The three heard the dropping of several Draugr. Looking into the hallway, they saw two dead Draugr.

The way opened into a giant room. This one looked natural however, with plants growing on the sides and a waterfall coming from the ceiling. In the back of the room was a sarcophagus. They decided to not get to near it and followed the only possible way: along the little river. They pulled a chain and the gate the stream was rushing through opened. The trio followed it, and nearly tripped on multiple occasions. The stream opened into a larger cave again, and they stood at the edge of a little, snowy cliff. The water streamed down the opening, and sunlight came through from the ceiling. On a little bridge below them, a single Draugr patrolled the area. Dipper took aim and shot, hitting the ground before it. Although unintentionally, it worked and the Draugr tripped, falling down into the river. They took a path to their right, which let down to the bridge. The rest of the hallway was quiet. Nothing attacked them, and they reached the end of the hall. A giant door was guarded by another Draugr, who looked better armored than the last ones. It charged at them, and was met with flames. The undead tried to pat out the flames, an got an ax as well as an arrow into its head.

They stood before the door, but had second thoughts. "Guys, im not sure if we should continue." Wendy said.

"Why?" Dipper asked the readhead.

"Well, up to this point the monsters haven't been easy. And this door wouldn't be here if there wasn't something big ahead."

Dipper thought about her words.

"But we need to." Mabel interrupted. "We are the only ones who can do this, and this stone is needed to defeat this dragon. If we would go back now, every life lost would be our fault. Also, we have already made it that far, and I refuse to have that all been for nothing."

Wendy and Dipper looked at each other. They knew that she was right. Farengar trusted them with this, just like the Jarl. What would they say to them? They nodded and opened the door.

* * *

Surprisingly, the next room was just another hallway. They followed it, investigating some of the vases along the way. There was another blade trap, but it was to damaged to work. The next room after it had three more Draugr. One came from the side, the other two stood on a bridge and shot arrows at the unwanted visitors. Mabel ignited another oilslick on the ground. It burned up a wooden rope and set one of the Draugr on fire. As it died, it fell down the bridge. Wendy fought the other Draugr, and quickly killed it. Her armor was extremely helpful in this place. The swords could damage it, but not cut through. Still, the spider's venom did do a number on the integrity of the armor, and it wouldn't hold forever. Dipper shot down the last Draugr and they proceeded their way.

The trio crossed the bridge and found a golden door. The way leading up to it was decorated by carvings, depicting scenes from the history of this place. The door itself was round, and had three holes in the middle. Three arches were above it, everyone with an carving of an animal. Dipper guessed that this was the same kind of riddle as some rooms back. They'd have to bring the animals in the right order, and then somehow activate it. But where was the code? The three friends began to search the room, but found nothing. When he walked back to the door, he tripped over. The golden claw fell out of the bag, and he noticed something. On the claw were three emblems carved in. Then it hit him. He picked it up and walked over to the door. He tested if the claw would fit in the holes, and every claw of it fit perfectly. He looked at the emblems and saw the code: Bear-Moth-Owl. He asked his friends for help and together they bought the pictures into the right order. Dipper put the claw into the middle, turned it and the door moved into the ground. Slowly.

Behind it was a giant room. Sunlight fell down from the ceiling, plants grew everywhere and a river flowed through a little ravine in the ground. On top of a hill stood a severed wall, with an altar, a chest and sarcophacus in front of it. Judging by the room and the door, they guessed that this would be the place where the stone is hidden. As they approached the wall, they began to hear chanting. The friends stopped to listen to it, but couldn't understand anything, since the chants were in a completely foreign language. The chanting got louder as they came closer. They looked around, but found nobody. At the wall, Wendy looked at the altar. In it was some loot. A plant, a purple crystal, some tissues, and mummification equipment. She then searched the gigantic chest standing besides the altar. In it was a set of armor and a lot of gold.

Meanwhile, the twins were fascinated by the wall. They felt a strange power coming from it. It was covered by strange symbols. Although they were unknown to them, they somehow made sense in their head. Like hypnotised, they looked at one symbol in particular. After roughly two seconds of staring at it, the chanting exploded into a full blown song. Wendy heard it and turned around, only to see energy coming from the wall and flowing into her friends.  
A word burned itself into the heads of the twins. _**Fus - Force!**_ They snapped out of it as the word ceased to glow.

Unsure what the heck this was, they turned around as the coffin exploded. A Draugr stepped out of it, armed with an glowing two-hander and heavily armored. For some reason, Dipper and Mabel felt especially confident. What they didn't expect was the undead's first move. It shouted the same word that they heard.

" _FUS ROH!"_

The force that he emitted hit them and made them tumble back. The fight did not even start and they were already down on their knees. He charged at them and swung his weapon. It hit Wendys back and forced her into the ground. Her armor cracked and she felt the pain in her back. Mabel saw that and shot fire at the monster's feet. It felt the heat and stepped back, opening Wendy a window to move to the side.

The Draugr attacked again. Without the effect of his spell, Mabel was able to move out of the way and only loose some strains of hair. While it had its back turned to Dipper, he took an arrow and, instead of taking aim, rammed it into the monsters leg. The pain let the Draugr to cry out. His voice made the ceiling crumble. But, instead of turning, he used his spell again.

" _FUS ROH!"_ He hit Mabel and she fell back down again. Unable to put up her hands after the fall, she wasn't able to use her fire spell to keep the foe on distance. He put up his sword and tried to attack, but missed.

The reason was the ax that was stuck in his arm. It pulled out the axe and threw it, hitting Wendy in the chest. The Armor kept it from being fatal or dangerous, but the enchantment on it froze her upper body. The Draugr hit her again and completely made her already weakened armor useless. Parts fell off and revealed her normal attire, a flanell jacket and white shirt under it.

With Wendy out of the fight for now, the monster turned towards Dipper and simply kicked him into the wall. Fire hit his back, and he shouted again.

 _"FUS ROH!"_

The spell hit Mabel again and made her fall down the stairs leading up to the altar. Dipper tried to do something, but the monster threw him into the altar. Unable to do anything, Dipper was forced to watch the scene before him. The Draugr jumped down the Stairs and picked up Mabel at her throat. Wendy was not able to help her either, as she was laying on the ground, partially frozen and bleeding. The Draugr held his sword up and tried to slice at Mabel.  
She kicked him into the chest however and he threw her. Thanks to that, the Sword only hit her belly, and cut straight through the leather. She felt the blade piercing her skin and cried out as she hit the wall. Mabel held the wound with her arm and noticed the blood coming out. She hoped it wasn't fatal, but knew that she was not able to fight anymore. The Draugr walked up to her and held up his sword, getting ready to deal the finishing blow.

That was it, she thought. Killed by an shouting Zombie with a blade, cut in two. Tears ran down her cheek, but death did not come. She looked up and saw Dipper, who jumped on the head of the Draugr and repeatedly stabbed him with an arrow. She could saw pure rage in his eyes.

"Leave my sister alone, you undead jerk!"

He heard the skull of the monster cracking, and it tried to impale Dipper with his sword. He missed and cut his shoulder. Not able to lift his sword anymore, he just began to shout at his foes, trying to take as much of them with him as he could. The shouts hit, and both Mabel and Wendy cried out more. After four shouts, the Draugr finally dropped, his skull destroyed by the Arrow.

Dipper spit on the thing and ran up to Mabel. Without the ice on her, Wendy was able to at least move again. She went over to the two, holding her side, and saw Mabel. Her sweater was stained read. Dipper searched inside the bag and pulled out as many potions as possible. He gave two to Wendy, and opened Mabels mouth. Dipper opened the bottles and gave them to Mabel. He saw the wound close, and heard bones cracking back into place. Mabel still had her eyes closed, and Dipper and Wendy feared that it could be to late.

Suddenly, the girl jumped up and hugged her brother. "Dipper! That was awesome. You were all like 'bam', and 'stab'!" She mimicked Dippers attack.

Dipper just stared at her and smiled. "Im glad you're alive."

"Me too, bro."

They looked at Wendy, who was fit again. Her armor was ruined though. Only the strabs that held the metal together were left, together with some single panels of metal. They would have ask to let the next smith repair it, just like Mabel's. Wendy took the sword of the Draugr and put it on her back, were at least the strab to hold weapons was still intact, in case she'd loose her ax or it would break.

"So, where is the stone?" Wendy asked. They nearly forgot the stone, and looked around. It took two minutes, before they tried to look into the sarcophacus. In it was a lot of treasure. They found gold, another crystal, a ruby and finally, the Dragonstone. It was pretty big and heavy. On it was some kind of map, and some scriptures. They weren't able read them and shrugged it of.

* * *

The next thing to do was find the exit. They followed some stairs and only found a wall and one pedestal. On top of the pedestal was a handle. They pulled it and the wall moved to the side, revealing a cave. The three moved in, and found another chest, and an altar with a skull and some flowers on it. At the end of the cave was a chain. They looked into the chest and found even more gold and an new bow, made out of better wood, which Dipper took. Wendy pulled the chain and all of them greeted by sunlight. They stepped out and stood before the plains of Whiterun.

"Alright. I think we made it through Bleak Falls Barrow." Dipper said, glad they survived this.

"Yeah. I guess you could say it was..." Mabel made a pause. "Bleak." Everyone stared at her in disbelief. "Too soon?"

"No, it just- It just wasn't very good."

Mable muttered something, and they decided to first visit Riverwood, to give the Shopkeep his claw back and tell the guards about the thief. That way, they could also get Alvor to repair their armor.

Still, there was one thing that the twins couldn't shrug off. They still felt that wall, and the word echoed in their heads. Something was going on with it, and they wanted to find out what.

* * *

 **This was the biggest chapter yet. Seriously, it's double the size of the last one.**

 **Little explanation: The reason all the bandits at Bleak Falls Barrow were dead, or knocked themselves out, is that I think it would be a bit early in the story for the characters to kill people.**

 **Elder Scrolls is owned by Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	9. Mirmulnir

Chapter 9: Mirmulnir

The three friends visited Riverwood again, where Alvor thanked them for informing the Jarl of the situation. He offered them to repair their armor, and they accepted. During the process, they brought the Shopkeep his claw back. As they entered, he welcomed them back.

"We think we have something here that belongs to you." Mabel said and gave him the claw.

His eyes widened. "This is it. Where did you find it?" They told him what happened, and he rewarded them with 400 Gold. After leaving the store, they counted their money. In this regard the whole walking-through-ruins-thing was extremely rewarding. They now were in the possesion of 610 coins. They quickly told the Guards about the thief and one walked off to get him, and also saw Sven again, who was holding hands with Camilla.

* * *

After getting their armor back, they made their way to Whiterun and visited Dragonsreach. The trio walked to Farengars room, and saw an cloaked figure speaking with the wizard.

"You see? The terminology is clearly First Era or even earlier. I'm convinced this is a copy of a much older text. Perhaps dating to just after the Dragon War. If so, I could use this to cross-reference the names with the other later texts." he explained.

Mabel and Wendy were interested, but by no means as much as Dipper. He was glad he could continue his mystery hunt on this planet in one way or another.

"Good. I'm glad you're making progress. My employers are anxious to have some tangible answers." The voice of the cloaked person identified her as being female.

"Oh, have no fear. The Jarl himself has finally taken an interest, so I'm now able to devote most of my time to this research."

"Time is running, Farengar, don't forget. This isn't some theoretical question. The dragons have come back."

"Yes, yes. Don't worry. Although the chance to see a living dragon up close would be tremendously valuable… Now, let me show you something else I found… very intriguing… I think your employers may be interested as well…" He looked behind her, and noticed Wendy, Dipper and Mabel standing in the Doorway. "Hmm? Ah, yes, the Jarl's proteges! Back from Bleak Falls Barrow? You didn't die, it seems."

The woman turned around too and studied the trio. At least they think she did. They pulled out the Stone and gave it to Farengar. "Ah! The Dragonstone of Bleak Falls Barrow! Seems you are cut above the usual brutes the Jarl sends my way."

"Yeah, and we nearly died. Twice."Wendy replied.

"I'm sorry about that. But I will make sure your reward will make up for your troubles." The wizard walked over to his bookshelf and pulled out a book. He then walked up to Mabel and gave it to her. "This is what I can give you, young girl. I know you are interested in magic. This is a Spell Tome. It contains the spell Candlelight." On the book was a tree, and Mabel squealed excited. "For you two." He looked at Dipper and Wendy. "I can't really give you anything, but I will tell the Jarl to give you something appropriate. My…" He gestured to the cloaked woman with his hand. "…associate here will be pleased to see your handiwork. She discovered it's location, by means she has so far declined to share with me. So, your information was correct after all. And we have our friends here to thank for recovering it for us."

The woman turned fully to face the trio. "You went into Bleak Falls Barrow and got this? Nice work, and impressive for your age. Just send me a copy when you deciphered it."

"Maybe I can help." Dipper suggested. "I know a lot about ciphers."

"Can you read ancient nordic languages, speak them and have you studied the matter for centuries?" Farengar asked sarcastically.

"Uhm, no... but-"

He was unable to finish, since Irileth stormed into the room. "Farengar! Farengar, you need to come at once. A dragon's been sighted nearby." She turned toward Dipper, Mabel and Wendy."You should come too."

"A dragon?! How exciting! Where was it seen? What was it doing?"

"I'd take this a little more seriously if I were you. If a dragon decides to attack Whiterun I don't know if we can stop it. Let's go!" The four followed the darkelf upstairs, leaving the cloaked woman behind.

"Of course. Just let me stay here and don't say goodbye. Not that I have feelings. Well, time to go home." She left the palace and moved back home. Something seemed off to her about these children, but she couldn't put her hand on it.

* * *

Upstairs, the Jarl stood at a table with a map of Skyrim. Red and blue dots were put on different locations. Next to him stood a guard, seemingly out of breath. "So. Irileth tells me you came from the western watchtower?" The Jarl asked the guard.

"Yes, my lord." The guard simply replied.

"Tell him what you told me, about the dragon." Irileth told him.

"Uh… that's right. We saw it coming from the south. It was fast… faster then anything I've ever seen."

"What did it do?" the Jarl asked. "Is it attacking the watchtower?"

"No, my lord. It was just circling overhead when I left. I never ran so fast in my life… I thought it would come after me for sure."

Dipper, Mabel, Wendy and Irileth all facepalmed at the same time. "And you ran straight towards the next major city? Risking to lure it here." Dipper asked.

Balgruuf put up his hand. "He was in panic, and did the best thing he could think of in his situation. Good work, son. We'll take it from here. Head down to the Barracks and get some food and rest. You've earned it. Irileth, you'd better gather some guardsmen and get down there."

"I've already ordered my men to muster near the main gate."

"Good. Don't fail me." He turned to the three friends. "There's no time to stand on ceremony, my friends. I need your help again. I want you to go with Irileth and help her fight the dragon." Everyone in the room was shocked. They could even hear the gasp of one guard downstairs.

"We? Fighting a dragon? You realise that we are twelve, do you?" Mabel gasped.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that. But still, you brought us the dragon stone and survived Bleak Falls Barrow. This means you are at least as capable as my guards." He turned toward one guard that stood behind him. "No offense."

"None taken."

"Besides, you survived Helgen. You have more experience with dragons than anyone else here."

"I hate to admit it, but he is right. You have seen an dragon in action. You are the only ones who know something about their attack patterns. How they act." Irileth added.

The trio looked at each other. On one side they were extremely honored, on the other side they feared for their lifes. If they had that much of a problem with one Draugr, how would they be able to kill a dragon? They thought about it, until they realised something. This was not an offer. It was an order from an king, which in turn means not doing it would be disobeying orders, and none of them wanted to know the punishment for that. So, they nodded.

Farengar spoke up next. "I should come along. I would very much like to see this dragon."

"No. I can't afford to risk all of you. I need you here working on ways to defend the city against these dragons." With a disappointed sigh Farengar agreed. "One last thing, Irileth. This isn't a death or glory Mission. I need to know what we're dealing with."

"Don't worry, my lord. I'm the very soul of caution." The trio doubted that, but was afraid to say it out loud. They followed her down to the main gate of the city, where a good dozen guards were assembled. Irileth stood before them like an commander, and the guards mustered the kids.

"Here's the situation. A dragon is attacking the Western Watchtower." The guards looked at each other worried.

"What?"

"A dragon?"

"We're in for it."

"You heard right! I said a dragon! I don't much care where it came from or who sent it. What I know is it's made the mistake of attacking Whiterun!"

"But Housecarl… how can we attack a dragon?"One of the guards asked.

"That's a fair question. None of us have ever seen a dragon before, or expected to face one in battle. But we are honorbound to fight it, even if we fall. This dragon is threatening our homes… our families. Could you call yourselves Nords if you ran from this monster? Are you going to let me face this thing alone?"

This was even inspirational to the three visitors.

"We're so dead…" one of the guards said.

"Actually, im an imperial." One said, trying to bail out.

"But it's more than your honor at stake here. Think of it. The first dragon seen in Skyrim since the last age. The glory of killing it is ours, if you're with me! Now, what do you say? Shall we go kill us a dragon?"

The crowd cheered.

"Yeah!"

"Damn right!"

"Today is a good day to die!"

"One thing!" Irileth interrupted the cheers. "See this children? They are survivors from Helgen and 'capable' warriors. They know how the dragons attack, so if they have to say anything, you will follow it. And be respectful."

They nodded. Although it was kind of an honor to them, the friends didn't like the pressure put on to them.

"Let's move out!" Irileth shouted.

* * *

The little army made their way over the plains to the tower. It was completely ruined. Walls were destroyed, the ruins were on fire. All hid behind some cover provided by a couple of rocks.

"Man, that doesn't seem good." Mabel muttered.

They looked around, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. "No signs of any dragon right now, but it sure looks like he's been here. I know it looks bad, but we've got to figured out what happened. And if that dragon is still skulking around somewhere. Spread out and look for survivors. We need to know what we're dealing with." Irilieth explained, and they spread out and looked everywhere outside. Mabel, Dipper and Wendy tried to find anyone inside the tower.

When they came to close, a guard ran out of the tower, completely horrified. "No! Get back! It's still here somewhere! Hroki and Tor just got grabbed when they tried to make a run for it!" They looked behind them and saw one guard trying to run away.

"What happened here? Where's the dragon?" Wendy asked the guard, while Mabel tried to calm him down.

"I don't know. It happened so fast." They heard a roar, and a giant lizard approached them from the nearest mountain. "Kynareth save us, here he comes again!" The dragon flew over the tower and breathed fire down on it. The four ran inside the tower to be safe from the flames.

"This is not the same one…" Dipper muttered.

"What?"

"That isn't the one from Helgen. The one back then was pitch black, had way more spikes, bigger horns and was bigger."

"So, there are definitely more than one?"Wendy asked.

"Probably."

The tower shook as the monster shouted. _"_ _BRIT GRAH! I HAD FORGOTTEN WHAT FINE SPORT YOU MORTHALS CAN PROVIDE!"_

The four were shocked that the dragon spoke. They thought the whole thing about their tyranny was metaphorical, like an overpowered species that held the others down. But now it seemed possible that it was literal. Dipper looked through one of the little windows, and saw that the dragon landed, and attacked the guards. A good numbers of them was already down on the ground, covered in burns and teethmarks.

"They need help!" Mabel yelled.

"But what should we do?" Wendy asked, fearing for her live.

"Shoot it, burn it and hit it. What else?" Mabel answered.

"We don't stand a chance, Mabel! This is a dragon!"

"And? When we stay in here, the dragon will ever kill us when we try to leave, or destroy the tower and kill us." She explained.

Dipper and Wendy thougth about her words, and agreed. The three of them could at least go out fighting. They walked up the stairs and Dipper already took aim at the dragon. The arrow pierced it's wing. The dragon looked up, and Dipper swore he could see a flashing in it's eyes. It started and flew up, only to stay in the air before him.

" _YOU ARE BRAVE. BALAAN HOKORON. YOUR DEFEAT BRINGS ME HONOR! YOL TOOR SHUL!"_

Fire left it's mouth and burned the top of the tower. They rolled out of the way in the last minute. Mabel left the tower through the main entrance and looked up at the giant lizard. She casted flames at the dragon. It turned toward her and his back to Wendy and Dipper. Wendy jumped on the back and began to strike the monster's back with her ax. The green scales were surprisingly resiliant, and none of her strikes did any damage. It shrugged her off and catched her mid-air in his claws. It's legs were unarmored however, and provided an excellent opportunity. She hit them with the ax, and the dragon cried out in pain. From below, an barrage of arrows flew toward the reptile. They hit it's belly, wings and tail. The dragon simply used his firebreath and burned the rest of the arrows in the air. The monster turned around and was welcomed by Dipper, who shot an arrow at the dragon's head. It hit it in the eye, and it cried out again.

 _"THURRI DU HIN SILLE KO SOVNGARDE!"_

Mabel still shot flames at him, and had already taken a potion to refill her Magicka. The flames slowly tainted the dragon's wing dark. It dropped Wendy, and in air, she threw her ax at the monster. It ripped through the scorched wing and froze the rest of the membran, forcing it to crash into the ground. They first thought it was dead, but then the monster got up again and used it's fire breath. " _TOOR SHUL!"_ The fire burned the entire area around Mabel, who quickly dived for cover behind a broken wall. She jumped up and charged towards the reptile, which was currently occupied with Wendy, who used her sword to attack the dragon's tail.

 _"FOOLISH MORTALS! MIRMULNIR WILL NEVER FALL TO MEN!"_

Dipper jumped down the tower, tryying to stab the creature into the head with another arrow. He missed, however, and instead stabbed the dragon's back. The monster screamed in pain, and Mabel casted fire in its open Mouth. The dragon put his head up in the air and coughed, leaving it's throat open. Wendy, Mabel, Dipper and the remaining guards used the window and striked it as strong as possible. Wendy charged with her sword, Mabel casted fire at it, and Dipper shot an arrow in it.

As the attacks hit, the dragon screamed in pure pain and red blood spilled out if the lethal wound. Mirmulnir held his head up one last time. " _DOVAHKIINS! NO!"_ He fell dead on the ground, and laid there two seconds, enough time for the three heroes to catch their breath, before it began to dissolve.

"What's happening?" One of the three surviving guards asked.

"Everybody! Get back!" Irileth yelled. The dragon began to glow, and energy transferred from him into Mabel and Dipper. They heard a chant again and felt pure power rushing through their bodies. When it was over, the dragon was nothing more but a mere skeleton. His skin, muscles and flesh burned, or dissolved, completely.

The Guards had their mouths wide open.

"I can't believe it! You two are… Dragonborn."

"What do you mean?" Mabel and Dipper asked at the same time.

"In the very oldest tales, back from when there were still dragons in Tamriel, the Dragonborns would slay dragons and steal their power. That's what you did, isn't it? Absorbed that dragon's power?"

"Maybe. I don't know." Mabel shrugged.

"There's only one way to find out. Try to shout… that would prove it."

"According to the old legends, only the Dragonborn can shout without training, the way the dragons do."

Another Guard came closer. "Dragonborn? What are you talking about?"

"That's right! My grandfather used to tell me stories about the Dragonborn. Those born with dragon's blood in 'em. Like old Tiber Septim himself."

Mabel and Dipper were shocked. If they really were Dragonborn, does that mean they had dragonblood in them?

"I've never heard of Tiber Septim killing any dragons. And how does the whole dragonblood stuff work? Does the dragon stick…"

The other guard slapped him at the back of his head. "There weren't any dragons then, you immature idiot. They're just coming back now for the first time in… forever."

"Your face is immature." The other guard muttered while rubbing his cheek.

The last Guard stepped next the two bickering law-enforcers.

"But the old tales tell of the Dragonborn who could kill dragons and steal their power. You two must be Dragonborns!"

"What do you say, Irileth? You've been awfully quiet."

"Hmph. Some of you would be better off keeping quiet than flapping your gums on matters you don't know anything about. Here's a dead dragon." To give her words more power, she kicked the dragons skull. "And that's something I definitely understand. Now we know we can kill them. But I don't need some mythical Dragonborns. Someone who can put down a dragon is more than enough for me."

"You wouldn't understand, Housecarl. You aren't a Nord."

"I've been all across Tamriel. I've seen plenty of things just as outlandish as this. I'd advice you all to trust in the strength of your sword over tales and legends." She ripped out seven of the dragon's teeth and gave everyone one. "Here. Keep these, as a symbol that you defeated a dragon." They thanked her.

"If you really are Dragonborn, like out of the old Tales, you ought to be able to Shout. Can you? Have you tried?" One of the guards asked again. They honestly didn't know what they meant with shouting. Mabel just took it literally and began to yell gibberish.

"Mabel. I dont think this is what they mean." Dipper thought shortly about the day and remembered the wall in Bleak Falls Barrow. The word 'Fus' appeared in his mind. It was the same word the Draugr used. The decided to give it a try and shouted the Word towards the guards.

 _,,FUS!"_

The guards stumbled back. As they shouted the words, the twins felt pure power coming from their throat.

"By the gods! What manner of power is this?"

"That was shouting, what you just did! Must be. You really are Dragonborn then…"

Irileth interrupted the guard. "That was the hairiest fight I've been in, and I've been in more than a few. I don't know about this Dragonborn business, but I'm sure glad you're with us. You better get back to Whiterun right away. Jarl Balgruuf will want to know what happened here." They nodded and began to leave.

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Dipper asked.

"We'll stay here and access the damage. I doubt Proventus would come out here to do it." Irilieth explained.

He shrugged, and they left the battlefield.

* * *

On the way back into the city they discussed the event that just transpired. "So, we just killed a dragon." Dipper deadpanned, still a bit in disbelief.

"Yeah, we did. Was easier than I expected." Mabel answered him.

"And you absorbed it's soul. Pretty cool if you ask me." Wendy added, wiping the dragon's blood off of her sword and ax.

"I guess so. But what does that mean?" Dipper said. "Maybe it has to do with why we're here."

"If someone can tell us, it is the Jarl."

"Hey dudes, can you do this Shouting thing again? It was pretty awesome." They shrugged and looked into the sky.

 _,,FUS!"._

A shockwave of pure power ripped through the sky. ,,Nice."

Unexpected, they heard someone shouting, as if he would answer. _,,DOVAHKIIN!"_ They looked around, but found no one. The friends shrugged it off as an weird echo, and got back to Dragonsreach.

* * *

Inside, Proventus was already waiting for them. "Good. You're finally here. The Jarl's been waiting for you." They followed him toward the throne, where Balgruuf was sitting. Next to him stood someone they had seen in the city yesterday. The only thing they knew about him was that he was named Hrongar.

"You heard the summons. What else could it mean? The Greybeards…" Balgruuf said and noticed the three heroes. "We were just talking about you three. My brother needs a word with you." Hrongar stated.

They stepped forward and kneeled down. "So, what happened at the watchtower? Was the dragon there?"

"Well, most of the guards are either dead or wounded, and the tower is destroyed, but the dragon is dead." Wendy said, hoping the outcome would be good enough for him.

"I knew that I could count on you and Irileth. But there must be more to that."

"Well, when we killed it, we kind of absorbed his soul, or something." Mabel explained.

"So it's true. The Greybeards really were summoning you."

The three looked confused at each other. Was that the Shout they heard?

"Uhm, what are Greybeards?" Dipper asked and they stood back up.

"Masters of the Way of the Voice. They live in seclusion high on the slopes of the Throat of the World."

"And what is this Throat?" Mabel wanted to know.

"The highest mountain in all Tamriel. If you look outside of Dragonsreach, you can see it in the west."

"And what do they want from us?" Dipper asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the Voice. The ability to focus your vital essence into a Thu'um, or Shout. If you really are Dragonborn, they can teach you how to use your gift."

Hrongar spoke up. "Didn't you hear the thundering Voice of the Greybeards, summoning you to High Hrothgar?" He needed to catch his breath out of excitement. "This hasn't happened in… centuries, at least. Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned when he was still Talos of Atmora!"

"Hrongar, calm yourself." Proventus said calmly.

"Sorry, but we keep hearing this name. Tiber Septim. Who the heck was this?" Mabel asked, getting more and more confused.

"Ah yes. I forgot that you are not from Tamriel. He was the one who united the continent into the Empire. He was a Dragonborn, just like you. And he became a god."

They just looked at each other. Someone who became a god. That sounded too silly to be true. Then, they notcied one little detail in the Jarl's words. "Wait, how do you know that we are not from here?"

"Hadvar told us. I asked him to come here." Balgruuf explained.

"What does any of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friends here? Capable as they may be, I don't see any signs of them being, what, Dragonborn?" Proventus said, obviously not caring about the whole situation.

At this, Hrongar became angry. "Nord Nonsense? Why you puffed up ignorant-" He was stopped by Balgruuf, and calmed down a bit. "These are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the first empire."

"Hrongar. Don't be so hard on Avenicci."

"I meant no disrespect, of course. It's just that… what do these Greybeards want with them?"

"That's the Greybeards' business, not ours. Whatever happened when you killed that dragon, it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard it. If they think you're Dragonborn, who are we to argue? You all better get up to High Hrothgar as soon as possible. There's no refusing the summons of the Greybeards. It's a tremendous honor. I envy you, you know. To climb the 7.000 Stairs again…" And with that, the three lost a lot of interest. No one of them wanted to climb so many stairs. Especially up a freezing mountain. "… I made the pilgrimage once, did you know that? High Hrothgar is a very peaceful place. Very… disconnected from the troubles of this world. I wonder if the Greybeards even notice what's going on down here. They haven't seemed to care before. No matter. Go to High Hrothgar. Learn what they can teach you." They nodded, guessing that this was, again, not an offer but an order. "You've done a great service to me and my city, Dragonborns. By my right as Jarl, I name you all Thane of Whiterun. It's the greatest honor that 's within my power to grant."

"Actually." Wendy interrupted. "Only Mabel and Dipper are Dragonborn, I'm not."

"Is that so?" He muttered something with Proventus. "Well then. You will still keep your title as Thane, but I will assign you another duty. From now on, you will be the Housecarl of the Dragonborns." She was confused. What was an Housecarl? She decided to ask. "A Housecarl is a person who defends his Thane with his life. He, or she, is loyal to them and will do anything the master tells them to do." She had an plain expression on her face, slowly realising that he just put her as Mabel's and Dipper's employee. "Also, as a payment, I have spoken with Proventus and Farengar, and we decided to give you Breezehome."

"What is Breezehome?" Mabel asked.

"It's an house, or rather your house. It is located down near the main gate, next to the Warmaiden's."

"Wait, you are going us a house for free? We- we can't accept that." Dipper said, unable to believe the gift.

"Please. You three need an place to stay. We can't ask you to spend every night at an inn." Proventus gave them three keys. "It is already fully furnished. I'll also notify my guards of your new title. Wouldn't want them to think you're part of the common rabble, now would we? We are honored to have you as Thane of our city, Dragonborns and miss Wendy."

"My last name is Corduroy, actually."

"Fine then. Miss Coduroy." He turned back toward Proventus. "Back to business, Proventus. We still have a city to defend."

"Yes, my lord."

The three Thanes left Dragonsreach and began to search for Breezehome, retrieving Squiggels along the way.

* * *

Unknown to them, in another plane of existance, a figure in a dark cloak looked over an ocean of acid. At least he thought it was acid. Everytime he asked his master, he would shrug of the question, and at this point he was sure that he most likely doesn't want to know. His face was covered by a golden, ornate mask. One of his pets, the dragon Saahloknir, was standing right behind him. He was waiting. He just felt that the last Dragonborns returned, just like his associate guessed weeks ago. As he thought about what to do, his associate appeared.

The whole plain of Apocrypha went grey and time stood still. Before him, a black triangle appeared. An eye formed in it, and the triangle's color changed to yellow. If he had to be honest, Miraak thought that the appearance of this demon was rather silly. Especially considering the power this thing held.

"Well, well, well, well, well. If it isn't Miraak."

"Hmph. You were right. The Dragonborns appeared."

"Oh trust me, I know. Don't forget, I see everything." The demon said, in his usual happy voice.

"Do you think they'll be a danger to our plans?"

"What? No. They are idiots and stuck in a world full of dragons, trolls and what not. They'll die before they would even get close. Honestly, I don't know why the old man even chose them."

"If you say so. However, I'll try to find them. Better be safe. My worshippers are already on their way to Skyrim, and they will find them."

"Yeah, whatever. Good luck with that." A portal appeared behind the demon, and it slowly vanished. ,,Byeeeee!"

Time began to flow again, and Miraak still stood there. Everytime this happened, he had a bit of a headache. But there were more important things for now than a hurting head. He needed to find those Dragonborn and destroy them, before they could even become a danger.

* * *

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	10. The first quiet day

Chapter 10: The first quiet day

The trio entered their new home in Whiterun. What they found was more than enough for them. In the middle of the main room was a fireplace, and behind it was a kitchen. Near the entrance were bookshelves, normal shelves and a weapon rack. In the back of the room was a door, that led to a little alchemy lab. Stairs let up to a second floor, where the bedrooms were located. Wendy took the one with a single bed, while the twins chose the bigger one with two beds in it. Next to the stairs was another door, that led into a small toilet, which consisted only of a hole in the ground and a bucket below it. Under the stairs were Barrels, sacks and chest to store food and other goods. The walls on the upper floor had multiple weapon racks.

Everyone took off their armor and stored it in the drawers, which was more difficult for Dipper and Wendy than for Mabel, and were happy to wear their normal clothes again, without the weight of the armor. Mabel set Squiggels down in her room, and told everyone to close the door all the time.

Dipper had thirst and looked into the kitchen, only to find out that they lacked any food. Thus, Wendy left the house to get some food, and Dipper followed. With the lab in the house, he wanted to buy some ingrediants and test around a bit.

Mabel was alone now. She pulled out the book Farengar gave her and read it. The same thing as with the other two happened. She 'selected' it and tried it out. A small dot appeared in her hand, not to different from the healing spell, and she tried to throw it. The little dot flew into a corner and levitated in the air, generating light. Although the spell was neither offensive or defensive, it looked handy. And could probably save some money.

A short time later, Dipper returned with a little satchel.

"And, what did you buy?" She asked, while reading one of the two books that already were in the bookshelf

"I'm not quite sure. Arcadia said she would give me the beginner's pack. Want to look with me?" She nodded and they entered the backroom. Dipper opened the satchel and put the ingredients on the table. He had some flowers and berries, a feather, some dust, salt, scales and a claw. "That... doesn't seem healthy."

"How much was it?"

"Forty-five Gold."

"For that? We could've gotten that stuff in the forest." Mabel said.

They heard the door opening, and looked out of the room. Wendy came back, carrying a backpack and sack. She threw them on the table.

"What did you get?" Dipper asked while opening the sack.

"A little bit of everything. Vegetables, fruits, fish, meat. I've tried to stay under fifty Gold."

"Did you?"

Wendy shrugged. "Close. fifty-four."

"So, who of us can cook?" Mabel asked. They all looked at each other.

"I've know how to use a micro wave." Wendy said.

"Yeah. This isn't helping." Mabel replied and began to cast her flames at the fireplace. "And when Dipper cooks, we're gonna be poisoned for a week."

"Hey!" Dipper yelled.

"And you know how to use a fireplace?" Wendy asked the girl.

"Kinda. I know how to make a soup in it." Mabel explained. She walked to the table and looked at the food they had. After a small discussion, they settled for a simple potato soup.

After it was ready, they sat down around the fireplace and started to eat. It wasn't anything special, but surely better than the bread or simple fruits they ate for the last two days.

"So, what are we gonna do tomorrow?"Dipper asked his friends while eating a bit of potato.

"I think we should wait with this Hrothgar place. I could use some peace for once." Mabel said.

"Me too. The last three days, we either ran through the woods, climbed mountains or fought monsters. Some nice, quiet rest would be great." Wendy agreed.

"It's settled then. High Hrothgar can wait." Dipper said. "So Wendy, how is the life as our bodyguard?" He asked as a joke.

"It seems like I can't escape working for your family. Seriously though, you won't let me do your chores, right?"

"Don't worry. This is just something the Jarl said you to do. That doesn't mean you have to do it." Mabel answered.

"Isn't he, like, the King of this land?" Dipper pointed out.

"Well, yeah. But as long as he doesn't know." They shrugged. Even if someone were to ask about it, they could lie.

After they finished eating, and simply putting the dishes on table, all three of them got to bed.

* * *

In the next morning, Wendy was the first one to get up. She just now realised that she wouldn't be able to drink a cup of coffee in the morning, and was in a pretty bad mood because of that.

After Mabel woke up, she ate a bit of bread and left to look outside for mail. She opened a little box next to the entrance and took the two letters inside. One was simple advertisement, while the other on came from Farengar.

 _Dear Dragonborns._

 _As the court-wizard at Dragonsreach,_

 _it is my duty to help a new mage to set foot._

 _This is why I invite Mabel Pines to Dragonsreach._

 _I'll look forward to our meeting._

 _With thanks, Farengar Secret-Fire._

Mabel was intrigued. He probably wanted to teach her some stuff about magic, maybe even a new Spell. She thought about it for a moment and decided to go. The Dragonborn went back into the house, and saw Wendy sitting at the table. "Hey Wendy. Im going to Dragonsreach. Farengar wants to teach me something."

"Whatever. I don't care." Wendy replied annoyed.

"Everything all right? You seem a lot grumpier then usual."

Wendy stared at her, and flipped her off.

"Okay. Geez. Calm down."

Wendy sighed. "Sorry. I'm just tired."

"Didn't sleep well?"

"No, not really. I think I need some time to get used to the beds here. I mean, they are just wood with straw and a piece of hide on top."

"Just go to bed again then. We don't have anything to do today anyways."

"Maybe. Good luck with your magic."Wendy said, and yawned.

Mabel waved and left the house.

Half an hour later Dipper woke up. He went downstairs and took an apple. Wendy wasn't around, and neither was Mabel. He guessed that they were in the city shopping and decided to finally mix around some potions. He sorted the ingrediants, and began to mix the ingrediants randomly, hoping for the best.

* * *

In the meantime, Mabel stood in front of Dragonsreach. Opening the gate, Farengar was already waiting. They shook hands and walked into his study.

"So, what do you know about magic?" Farengar asked her.

"Well, it makes me shoot fire, heal myself, makes light and I can learn it through books. Oh, and it's bend to something called Magicka."

"Okay, that are at least the basics. Best we start with magicka. Were it actually comes from is unknown, and a much discussed topic among the scholars. Some say it's a manifestation of ones soul, other say it is what's left of Magnus' power on Nirn. Wherever it comes form, it is directly bend to your ability to cast spells. Luckily, if you get better with magic, your Magicka pool will expand too." Farengar explained.

Mabel had begun to get impatient. "So, can we get to spells now?"

"You don't care about the very fabric of magic?" Farnegar asked, dumbfounded.

"Nah. I would forget it again anyway."

The wizard sighed. "Very well. I have decided to show you two spells. The first one is the lesser ward spell. It will cast a ward in front of you, blocking weak magical attacks and effects. The second one would be lighting bolt. It will make you cast lighting, and throw it at your opponent. This will not only damage him, but also drain his own Magicka."

Mabel was excited. Those new Spells sounded awesome. The ward can save her life, and the lighting bolt could potentialy be used to power something. "So, how does this work? You are going to show them to me and I need to repeat them? Or do I have to meditate about them."

"No. Even though that are the normal methods, thanks to the dragons we don't have much time. Thus, I'll give you the Spell tomes." He handed her two books.

"How many of this things do you have?" Mabel deadpanned.

"A lot." Farengar shrugged.

She opened them and learned the spells. "Now I will cast a fireball at you, and you will use your defense spell to block it, understood?" She nodded, and his hands ignited and a fireball shot towards Mabel. She put up the ward and the fireball exploded as soon as it made contact, leaving her unscathed. "Great. You seem to know how to use this one. Now I'll put up a ward, and you will shock me."

Mabel chose her other new spell. Her hands sparked, which tingled a bit. "Great. Now channel the lightning and throw it." She did like he told her, and the sparks changed into an ball of electricity. She closed her hand and opened it, with the palm facing Farengar. A bolt of electricity left her hand and hit the ward. "Well done. You learn fast. It is important to note that stronger spells cost more Magicka. The lightning bolt for example costs more than the flames spell. You need to keep that in mind. Now, let's move on to enchanting." He led her to a strange table. It had an pentagramm on it, with a different symbol in every spike. An skull looked over the station. "This is an enchantment table. Here you can use filled soulgems to enchant equipment like weapons, armor and attire. Give me your circlet."

* * *

Unknown to the twins, Wendy walked around in Whiterun, wanting to get a grasp of the city. There was one thing she found particularly interesting. To the left side of the building that looked like a boat, was a giant stone eagle overlooking the city. While going there, she heard someone yelling. Wendy turned left and saw someone wearing a robe preaching about Talos. She remembered the name from the conversation with Balgruuf, and wanted to get a bit more info. Afterall, knowing about the local culture isn't to bad, especially if you don't know if you can executed if you do something said culture doesn't agree with.

The preacher had noticed her coming closer and instantly turned toward her. "The truth, child of Talos, is that dragon's children have come! To purge the world in fire and righteousness!" And he seemed like a nutjob. Did he really believe the dragon situation was a good thing?

"Uhm, sorry, but who exactly is Talos?"

"Hello, my friend. If you seek knowledge about mighty Talos, you have most certainly come to the right person. In mortal life Talos was a Nord possessed of unmatched tactical skill, limitless wisdom and the power to see into men's hearts. Talos mastered the power of the Voice, and with it he united the lands of men into a great empire. In southern lands, he was known by the name Tiber Septim. Here in Skyrim, we honor him by his proper Nord name. So great was his reign in life, when he ascended to the heavens he was made lord of the Divines. If you want to know more, I'm sure you can find a number of tomes on the subject."

"If he's that famous, why are you preaching here? Shouldn't he be known by, like, everyone?"

"Indeed he should, but his worship is outlawed." The preacher answered with sorrow in his voice.

"What? Why?" Wendy asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Because the so-called Emperor is a coward! That's right, I said coward! Oh yes! He agreed to banish the worship of Talos at the tip of an Aldmeri sword. They called it the White-Gold-Concordat. Well, I call it blasphemy! A true son-" He got angrier and angrier, only to be interrupted by the last voice Wendy wanted to hear right now.

"Heimskr? Spreading your preachings again?" The Companion they encountered on the way to Whiterun came down the stairs leading up to the boat.

"Aela. I was just telling this young girl why they outlawed the worship of the Mighty Talos."

"Yes, I figured." she looked at Wendy. "Hey, didn't I meet you some days ago? Down at Pelagia Farm?"

"Yeah, and I'm still pissed about it." Wendy replied angry.

"It's okay. I've heard you helped killing that dragon? Pretty impressive." Aela said.

Wendy was surprised. She thought Aela would talk down to her even more. "Uh, thanks."

"Listen. You seem like you can be turned into a capable warrior. If you are interested, the Companions still have room."

"Are you offering me to join you?" Wendy asked, even more surprised then before.

"Yes. If you want to accept , go to Jorrvaskr." She pointed at the turned boat. "Like I said, go to Kodlak Whitemane."

"Sorry, I'm flattered and all, but I have to watch out for my friends. And I'm not sure if I like being a mercenary." Wendy said while rubbing the back of her head.

"Your friends are the Dragonborn, aren't they?"

"How do you know that?"

"Things like that get around fairly quick. I know your job is important, and if you don't wanna join us, maybe we can give you some fighting lessons." She turned to the preacher, who was quiet the whole time. "And Heimskr. Please stop. You know as well as I do that both of us would'nt exist without the Concordat."

She left again, letting Wendy stand alone there with Heimskr. He coughed in his fist. "Where was I? The mighty-"

"Yeah, yeah. You are getting annoying." Wendy said and left towards the eagle, letting the preacher stand there. Aela's offer was intriguing. Getting better at fighting could only help her, and once the whole dragon situation is dealt with, maybe she could even join. That way she could make money while beingstuck in this dimension, and at the moment it didn't seem like they would get home any time soon.

When she walked up to the monument, she found something unexpected. Instead of being a place of worship, or an tourist attractions, it was a smithy. Weapons were laying around, and all kinds of material was scattered across the place. Under the eagle was a firepit, which was used to heat and meld the metalls. One man was working there, currently sharpening a sword.

"Hey. What's up with this place?" Wendy asked him.

"Hmm?" he looked up. It seemed like he just noticed her. "The Skyforge? Aye, my clan-fathers have worked it since the first Gray-Manes came to Whiterun. Skyforge Steel is all the Companions will use, for good reason."

"Anything el-" She saw that he was back to sharpening the sword. "Okay, thanks for that." She left, disappointed that this wasn't something special. Just a very expensive forge.

* * *

Dipper tried to find a bookstore, so that he could buy a book about alchemy. The closest thing he found was Belthor's shop, who sold a couple of books. There was none about alchemy though, so he decided to buy one called _"Uncommon Taste"_ , so that they could cook something else than potato soup.

When he left the shop, he saw two warriors talking to a guard in the distance, near the city entrance. With nothing better to do, he decided to overhear the conversation. He snuck up behind a barrel at the smithy. The two warriors clearly were not from Skyrim. They looked like they were from the old middle east, and had a darker skin tone than the people here usually had. Their swords were scimitars. He also realised that they didn't simply talk, but were in a heated debate with the guard.

"Look, you've already been told you're not allowed here." The guard said, trying to stay calm. "Turn around and go back the way you came."

"We're causing no trouble. All we ask for is to look for her." One of the warriors, wearing a hood over his head, replied.

"I don't care what you're doing, after what happened you're lucky I don't toss you in jail. Now get lost." The guard answered.

"We will be back. This is not over." The other warrior said, and the guard walked away.

Dipper was curios about what was going on. There seemed to be some kind of problem here, and judging from the conversation, the warriors were looking for a criminal of some kind. As he came out of his hiding spot to talk to the warriors, the one without the hood approached him by himself.

"You there. We are looking for someone in Whiterun, and will pay good money for information."

Even though he techincally wasn't from here, Dipper wanted to help. It could help catching a criminal, and pay well. "Yes, I've overheard your debate. Who are you looking for?"

"A woman- a foreigner in these lands. Reguard, like us." Although Dipper at first couldn't make anything of the word 'Redguard', he figured that it was the name of their ethnicity, like the people from Skyrim were called Nord. "She is likely not using her true name. We will pay for any information regarding her location. We are not welcome here in Whiterun, so we will be in Rorikstead if you learn anything."

"Rorikstead. Got it. What did she do anyway? Steal something? Homicide?"

"It's none of your concern. All you need to know is that we we're paying for information. If that doesn't interest you, feel free to walk away."

"Uhm. Okay. I'll come to you if I find anything." Dipper said. He thought that they didn't want to tell what she did was very suspicious.

"Great. And remember: We're looking for a fugitive from Hammerfell. A Redguard woman. She may be somewhere in this city."

"I got this the first time, thanks. Bye."

"Goodbye." The hooded Redguard said and they left the city. This was definetly something Dipper would have to investigate. The whole situation didn't seem right. But for now, he wanted to go home and continue with his alchemy.

* * *

After returning home, he went into the laboratory again. The one potion he made was a total failure, and didn't do anything. Without a way to find out recipes, he just began to mix them randomly again. Of course, he could just ask Arcadia, but after the last time he did, he feared that she would charge him for it every time.

An hour later, he heard the entrance door, and went into the main room.

"Hey Mabel. Where have you been?"

"Dragonsreach. Farengar invited me. Look what I can do!" She casted a lightning bolt at the ceiling, and then created a shield in front of her. "He also enchanted my circlet. It somehow strenghtens my armor now. What did you do?"

"I made some potions."

"Which ones?"

"Well, that's the problem. I don't know what they do. Someone would have to try them."

The door opened again, and Wendy entered the house. "I'm back."

"Wendy? Would you have any problem with drinking a potion?" Mabel asked.

"Mabel! You can't just drink them. Who knows what they could do to you two."

"Please. I've got a healing spell, and we still have a couple of healing potions left."

Dipper sighed and walked back into the lab, only to come out again with two potions in his hands. He gave both one.

Wendy opened the bottle and downed the drink with one swig.

"And? Feel anything?"

"Not really. It tastes like orange juice though. Oldorangejuciebythewaydidyouseethatgiantstoneeagleabovethecitythereisasmithyupthere." Dipper and Mabel looked at each other worried while Wendy continued speaking without breathing. "Andthenthere'sthatconcordatthatsaidnooneshouldworshiptalosandithinki'mgoingtosleepnow." She fell over and the twins instantly ran to her. Dipper put two fingers on her wrist.

"She's okay. Just unconscius."

"Phew. Please tell me mine has other ingrediants." Mabel said.

"Yep."

"Alright." Mabel drank her potion, and her face changed to green.

"Everything okay?"

"I- I think I'm gonna throw up." Mabel said and ran into the closet.

While she was gone, Dipper pulled out a note where he wrote the recipes he used, and scratched the one he made for Wendy. After a minute, she finally woke up again.

"Ugh. What happened?" She asked, holding her head.

"Let's just say my potion didn't work."

"Last time I try one. Where's Mabel?"

The door opened again, and Mabel came out of the closet. She looked tired. "Are you alright?" her brother asked.

"Your potion made me throw up." Mabel answered.

"Did it do something else?" Dipper said, trying to find something good in the situation.

"Yeah. It gave me diarrhea."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm just- I'm just gonna go to bed." Mabel replied and slowly stumbled up the stairs.

Dipper scratched the potion too. "None of them worked." He muttered disappointed.

"I wouldn't say that." Wendy answered. "I think the last one could be used as some kind of poison."

"I guess. We could avoid battles."

"Exactly. Just don't use it on a dragon."

"Why not?" Dipper asked.

"You want a dragon with diarrhea flying around?"

"Fair enough."

"Was that the last potion?" The redhead asked.

"Actually." Dipper walked into the laboratory, and came out again with a white flask. "I think I'm just gonna drink that one myself."

"You sure? None of them did work."

"It's all for science, Wendy." he drank it, but felt nothing. "Hmm. Weird."

"Dipper?"

"Yeah?"

"Your arms."

"What are you-" He looked at his hands and arms, only to see that the were invisible. "Nice. Invisibility potion. When I tweak the recipe a bit, it could work."

"Please, don't turn your side to me. I can see inside your shoulders."

"Oh. Sorry." Dipper walked over to the counter and picked up the new book. "So, what do you want for dinner? In here are the recipes for a Sunlight Souffle and something called Pontage le Manifique."

"First off, I have no idea what either of those are. Second: Is that french? Why do they speak french here?"

"Why do they speak english here?" The dragonborn pointed out. "Also, it's written here that you need an oven for the souffle'. I guess it is the second one then."

"I thought you can't cook?"

"Please. Everything is in here. Step for step. I just need to go to the market." He took his bag, and left the house, leaving Wendy alone. She shrugged, took a book out of the shelf, and sat down.

* * *

 **I actually ran into the problem that there is not one toilet found in Skyrim (Or any Elder Scrolls game, as far as I can recall) while writing this. So, I thought I'd add a little room dedicated to that to Breezehome, and basically every place people live.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	11. The Valtheim towers

Chapter 11: The Valtheim towers

The crew bought supplies for the trip to High Hrothgar and left Whiterun. Thanks to their map, they at least knew that the closest town to the Throat of the World was called Ivarstead, so they figured it would be a good idea to go there and find a way up. Thus, the trio followed the road alongside of the mountain to the north. A short time later, the plain landscape changed into a way more hilly area. A river had cut itself deep into the land to their left. The flora also changed, going from single trees and small bushes, into a light forest.

In the distance, they could see a ruin. It consisted of two towers, one on each side of the river, and a bridge spanning between them. In front the entrance of the tower on their side stood someone. When they came closer, she pulled out a dagger and approached them.

"Hey. Stop there. If you want to pass, you shall pay a toll."

"Wait? Why?" Mabel responded. The stranger looked over them and stopped at Wendy.

"Wait. I know you. Didn't we find you in the forest?"

"Oh, that were you guys? Thanks for the armor."

The woman smirked. "Yes. Nice to know you survived. We thought something, or someone, killed you." She put away her dagger and gestured to the entrance. Come in. The boss will want to see you."

They looked at each other and shrugged. Following the woman inside, they moved up some ramps and then over the bridge. Inside the other tower was a man in a heavy looking armor sitting at a table. A big warhammer, made out of steel, was sitting next to him.

"Boss. Look who came back."

He looked around, still having a piece of chicken in his mouth. "Great. And you brought prisoners."

"WHAT?" Mabel, Dipper and Wendy yelled. He stood up and picked the twins up by the collar.

"Wait, they aren't prisoners!" Wendy shouted.

"And why did you bring them here then?"

"Wendy! Why? I thought we were friends!" Mabel screamed, and the leader of the group threw her into a cage. He then opened another one and threw Dipper in it. The woman from the entrance began to tie them up, and covered their mouths with a piece of fabric so they couldn't scream fro help.

"Stop! Why are you doing this! This is all a big misunderstanding!" Wendy yelled.

"What? We said to you to stay at the street, and should someone walk by bring them here."

"What? Why did you do this, Wendy?" Dipper yelled.

"I didn't listen to them! I never listen if someone gives me orders!" Two bandits tied the twins up and covered their mouths.

"So, they are not your prisoners?" the boss asked.

Wendy knew she needed to do something. Just trying to fight wasn't an option. There were to many, and they all had more experience than her. But maybe she could trick them. She sighed. "Yes, they are!" The eyes of the twins widened. "And the Dragonborn, in case you want to know!" Her first hope was that he would let them leave with that information.

"Is this so?" He looked at the twins and stroked his beard. "Well done. As first order of business, you'll watch over them. Try to prevent them from doing anything funny." He left, leaving Wendy and the woman from the entrance alone, to Wendy's dismay. She hoped to escape with the two when no one was here, but now she couldn't even tell them about her plan.

Mabel and Dipper tried to yell something at Wendy. She wasn't able to understand anything, but it was obvious that they were angry.

* * *

It took two whole hours, until the boss came back. In that time, she tried not to look at the two.

The boss walked towards the cages and took them with him.

"What are you doing?" Wendy asked him.

"Doing my job. Someone at Windhelm made a good offer if we were to execute the Dragonborn." Two more bandits entered the room, and grabbed Wendy. "And, he wants you to be gone too."

"NO!" Wendy yelled, and struggled to get free.

The Boss of the bandits knocked the twins out with his fist. "Men! Hold her back!" He walked outside, and stopped in the middle of the bridge. He held up Dipper, and put a dagger to his throat. The two bandits led Wendy outside, so that she would have to watch it. "Say goodb-"

He stopped when a roar echoed over the region. Every head turned south. A giant dragon was closing in. Although he was still to far away to make out details, Wendy could clearly see that he was completely dark, and bigger than Mirmulnir. The two bandits who held her were to scared, and let go off Wendy, so that they could run back inside. "Come back you cowards!" The boss of the bandits yelled, before he began to touch Dipper's skin with his dagger.

In panic, Wendy pulled out her ax and threw it towards the bandit. It hit him right in the ribcage, and got stuck between two plates of steel. Out of shock, he dropped Dipper and took his warhammer from his back. Due to the fact that she left her sword back home, so that they wouldn't have to much weight on them, Wendy was unable to block the first attack. She felt the full impact, and how all air left her lungs. However, she was able to get her axe back. After he passed her, the bandit had to turn around, which Wendy used to kick him into the leg. While the bandit was recovering, she stepped between the bandit and the twins. He charged at her again, but she got out of the way and hit him in the back with the ax. Even though he had a lot of power behind his attacks, he was considerably slower.

They heard the roar again, and saw the dragon had stopped and watched them. Before anyone could do anything, he roared again and attacked.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!"

He set parts of the bridge on fire and crashed through one of the towers. Now, Wendy just wanted to get the twins and run away, but the bridge began to crumble. She felt an impact on her back and flew towards the tower that was not under attack. As she stood up she saw the boss preparing to strike down on Dipper.

Charging forward with full force, she tackled him and hit him in the chest with her ax. Luckily, she hit an important part of the leather that held it together, and the armor of the bandit began to break.

She looked around, and saw that the tower that the dragon attacked was broken into pieces. The dragon was next to it, and breathed fire into it. Wendy was certain that everyone in there was dead now. The problem, beside the dragon, was that the bridge was now beginning to fall apart.

Still, the Bandit got up and knocked her over. He tried to break her spine with his knee, but failed thanks to her, still intact, armor. Thus, he threw her away again and tried to hit the twins once more. He was stopped by the ax again, but this time it hit his head. He stumbled and dropped his hammer, as his body went limb. His corpse fell down on the bridge, which turned more and more red.

Wendy ran up to him and pulled her axe out. But instead of cheering, she was speechless. She just killed someone. Took his life. Of course, it was to save her friends, but would they understand that? Especially since they think she sold them to those guys. There was no time to think about that now, though, since the bridge began to fall into the river. With the other tower still in flames, there was only one way to get out of here. She grabbed her friends, and jumped down into the river.

It was deep enough, and Wendy tried to swim up to the shore. The force of the water was to strong though, and she began to hear a waterfall. She held her friends tight, hoping for the best. The waterfall got louder, and they got flushed over the edge.

* * *

Although the impact on the water hurt, they survived and washed up at a little island in the middle of a lake. The redhead took the twins, and leaned them against a log, and untied them, before sitting down on another one herself, staring out into the distance.

It took a good amount of time, before the twins woke up again.

"Man, I'm fed up with getting knocked out." Mabel said.

Dipper nodded, and they looked around. Wendy was still sitting on her log. Not knowing on which side she was, both drew their weapons before approaching her. She heard their footsteps, and turned around. The two noticed the tears in her eyes. It looked like she cried for hours.

"Put your weapons away. Everything's okay." She said, surprising both Dragonborn.

"And how are we supposed to know that you won't attack us?" Dipper asked.

"It was a trick. Nothing more."

Dipper sighed, and both put away their weapons reluctantly. "What happened?"

"I- I-" She began to cry again, and both ran towards her. They sat down besides her, and looked into her eyes.

"Tell us. We can help." Mabel comforted her.

"I killed him." The eyes of both twins widened. They were shocked.

"Who? Who did you kill?"

"The banditleader. He held a knife to Dipper's throat and. And. A dragon attacked. He destroyed the bridge, and as this bandit tried to bash your heads in, I threw my ax in his head." She held her head down. "I took his life."

"There there. You did what you had to do." Dipper said. "Imagine what would have happened if you didn't kill him. When both of us would be dead, who should stop the dragons?"

"Yeah. You are our hero." Mabel added.

Wendy wiped away her tears. "Thank you." Although the talk helped, she still couldn't get the image of the dead bandit out of her head.

"Maybe we should sleep about it a bit. It was a long day. We all could use some rest." Dipper suggested. She looked up and nodded.

They prepared their sleeping-bags and made a firepit out of some wood and stones. During the whole process, Wendy was completely quiet. Mabel and Dipper were seriously worried. As they began to fall asleep, Dipper looked over to Wendy one last time. She fell asleep pretty fast. He wasn't sure what to think. On the one side, she saved them. On the other one, she murdered someone, and although he was a bad guy, he still was a human being. Not to mention what has to go on in her mind.

He decided to talk again with her tomorrow, when they were all rested well.

* * *

 **Sorry for the shorter chapter, I didn't have much time to write this week.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	12. Of Tigers and Ghosts

Chapter 12: Of Tigers and Ghosts

Dipper woke up and yawned. This time, he was the last one to wake up. Mabel and Wendy were already sitting around the campfire and ate breakfast. He put on his armor, and sat down next to them.

"Hey. Uhm, Wendy? Are you alright?"

"Yeah. The sleep helped. And you two were right. I just hope I don't have to do it again."

"We all hope that." Mabel added. "By the way, does anyone know where we are?"

"Right." Dipper pulled their map out of the bag, and opened it. "I think the towers where here." He pointed at a river, which came from a city called Windhelm, moved through the mountains, passed Whiterun, and ended near Helgen. "Wendy? How much far down the river are we?"

"Down one waterfall. And then a bit along the river."

"That means we should be..." He followed the river, and stopped at the base of a mountain. "Here. We just have to go south to reach Ivarstead."

* * *

The three finished their breakfast, and then packed their stuff. Luckily, the river was pretty quiet here, and they were able to just walk through. Once back on the road, they followed it to a couple of signs. One pointed to Windhelm, one to Whiterun, one to a place called Riften and one to Ivarstead.

While walking through the forest, they found a little pond with a cave next to it. A Fort stood nearby. They decided to investigate the cave, and noticed a couple of spikes that were stuck in the ground around the entrance. When they came closer, however, they saw that two burned corpses were impaled on the spikes. The trio instantly turned around and decided to go straight to Ivarstead.

The path led up a mountain. Along the way, they saw multiple critters. Foxes, deers, bunnies and goats. Of course, Mabel petted as many as she could.

As they passed a small cave though, a way bigger animal came closer. It was a big cat, with two large, sharp teeth sticking out of its mouth. They had seen creatures straight out of a fantasy world, and normal animals. The last thing the friends expected was an extinct creature. Especially a Smilodon.

"Are we going to take it out?" Mabel asked.

Dipper looked around, and realised that this was a really bad spot for a battle. One wrong step and all of them would fall down the cliff. "I'd say we run." He yelled and they ran up the path.

The Sabertooth followed them. The plan worked until they found another cave higher up, near a small creek. Inside of it was another creature. It was shaped like some kind of primate, with large teeth and three eyes. It came out of the cave and approached them.

"What the hell is that thing?" Mabel asked in panic, as the Sabertooth closed in from behind.

"A troll. I think. Belethor had a skull that looked like that thing." Dipper explained.

Wendy took her ax. "I think running won't work anymore."

"I've got an idea!" Mabel said and ran at the Smilodon. "Hey! Come and get me!" The Smilodon licked its teeth and charged at her.

"Mabel! What are you doing?" Dipper asked.

"Trust me!" Mabel replied and ran in front of the troll. The Sabertooth jumped at her, but Mabel ducked and the cat hit the troll. Said monster retaliated with his claws, and a fierce fight broke loose between the two.

The trio used the chance and ran up the path, fleeing from the monsters. Once they were far enough away, and catched their breath, they realised that they were at the gates of Ivarstead. More or less. The town lacked gates, as well as walls, and only consisted of a couple of houses. A bridge led to the throat of the world.

"I think we made it." Dipper said.

"Yeah. What now? Go up the mountain?" Mabel asked her friends.

"Can we visit the Inn first? I need a good lunch." Wendy suggested. The twins nodded, and they went to the inn.

It was easy to find, as it was the only house with a sign at the door. The inside of the inn, which was called "Vilemyr Inn", was typical. A fireplace in the middle, benches and tables at the wall and a counter at the end of the room. Three doors led to rentable bed rooms.

They approached the Innkeeper, who was cleaning the counter. "Welcome to the Vilemyr Inn. If there's anything I can get you, just let me know."

"Is there anything to know about High Hrothgar?" Mabel asked.

"Mabel. I thought we wanted to buy lunch." Dipper interrupted.

"Yeah, but we could also ask him when we are here already." Mabel replied, and turned back to the Innkeeper.

"Well, the Greybeards are a solitary lot. I don't think they've ever ventured outside their monastery. We get the occasional pilgrim passing through here on their way to the summit, but almost all of them have returned disappointed." He explained. It wasn't a lot of Information, but better than nothing. "What was that about lunch?"

"Right. What do you have?"

"Well, thanks to a little overpopulation, I have a lot of Pheasant Roast."

"We take it."

They sat down at a table, and the Innkeeper brought them their food. It was well roasted, and smelled delicious. While the two girls started eating, Dipper overheard a conversation between the Innkeeper and some girl. Judging by lute she had, she was the bard of the Inn.

"I think I saw it again. That… Ghost. It was over by the barrows!" She said. This poked his interest. If there was some problem with a ghost, he was sure that he could handle it.

"That thing's evil, Linly! I told you to keep away from there!" the Keeper answered.

"I'm sorry. I was curious… I didn't believe the stories. I won't go over there ever again."

"See that you don't. I promis-"

"Sorry, but what was that about a Ghost?" Dipper interrupted him. The Innkeeper looked down.

"You heard of Shroud Hearth Barrow in the west of town? There is a restless spirit creeping along. Fortunately, it seems to stick to the barrow. Like its guarding it."

"Well, you're lucky, since I'm an expert Ghost-hunter." Dipper said.

Back at the table, Mabal heard that and nearly choked on her food. "What?"

"Really? You seem a bit young." The Innkeeper pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"Trust me, I fought my fair share of Ghosts. And, I defeated them all. For example, back home we had this super-rich kid. When she and her family tried to do a party, they got problems with a ghost, and I trapped it inside a mirror." He said.

The Innkeeper shrugged. "If you think you can handle it, go for it. But don't say I didn't warn you afterwards." He got back to talking with the bard, and Dipper sat down again.

"You think you can handle this?" His sister asked him.

"Of course. Why not?" He replied, and began eating his meal.

"Up to this point, everything here was way more dangerous than back home. What if this ghost is to strong?" Wendy pointed out.

"I've got this. Trust me. It's just one ghost. I still beat the one at the party."

"Didn't Pacifica defeat him?" Mabel asked.

"Yeah, but I trapped him first." Dipper said in defence of himself. "Still, High Hrothgar has priority. I can deal with the Ghost after that."

His friends nodded, and he finally began to eat.

* * *

 **Again, sorry for a shorter chapter. However, the next one is gonna be a lot longer.  
**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	13. High Hrothgar

Chapter 13: High Hrothgar

After a nice lunch, Dipper, Mabel and Wendy began to make their way up the mountain. On the bridge leading to the mountain, they met someone named Klimmek, who brought supplies to the Greybeards, but was not able to do it, due to a injury. They agreed bringing them up for him, and moved on.

The way quickly got covered in snow, and the temperatures colder and colder. After the first pair of Steps, they found a stonetablet near the road. Dipper wiped the snow away and began to read it out loud. "Before the birth of men, the Dragons ruled all of Mundus. Their word was the Voice, and they spoke only for True Needs. For the Voice could blot out the Sky and flood the land."

"Wow. This seems powerful." Mabel said. "You think they still are?"

"Let's hope not. The one at Whiterun was strong enough." He stated.

"Please, can we get up? It's freezing." Wendy said.

Thus they moved along, until they found the next plate. This time, Mabel read it out. "Men were born and spread over the face of Mundus. The Dragons presided over the crawling masses. Men were weak then, and had no Voice. So, humans were slaves?"

"Sounds like it. One question though. What's Mundus?" Wendy pointed out.

"I guess either the planet we're on, or the dimension we're in. Or an old name for Skyrim or Tamriel." Dipper guessed.

Hoping the Greybeards could answer their Questions, they proceeded in climbing up. They sneaked past a sleeping sabertooth cat and found another stone. Wanting to go in order, Wendy was the one to read it. "The fledging Spirit of men were strong in Old Times. Unafraid to War with dragons and their Voices. But the Dragons only shouted them down and broke their hearts. Welp, first off, I hope that whole breaking-their-hearts-thing is a metaphor, and second, this Voice seems like it can make you undestructable."

"Yeah. Who knows how strong we could become." Mabel said, and sunk into her thoughts.

"I wouldn't say undestructable. Remember Mirmulnir?" Dipper pointed out. "Still, I wonder what else you can do with the Voice."

They went along, and found another stone tablet, which was nearly completely covered in snow. Once they wiped it away, some parts of the tablet were still covered in ice. At one point, it completely covered the letters, making them impossible to read. "Kyne called on …, who pitied men. Together they taught men to use the Voice. Then Dragon War raged, Dragon against Tongue."

"Whoa. So the Humans fought a war against the Dragons?" Mabel asked, shocked at the thought of it.

"Looks like it. I wonder how it ended." Wendy said.

"I mean, considering that this lizards were dead for thousand of years, good for the humans." Dipper answered Wendy's question. "Wait, do these tablet tell the story of the dragons?"

"Probably. We should look out for them."

As they proceeded their way, they found someone siting in front of a tablet. They approached her, and she told them that she only is a pilgrim. They tried to read the stone, and the woman moved a bit to the site, making room for Mabel. "Man prevailed, shouting Alduin out of the world. Proving for all that their Voice too was strong. Although their sacrifices were many-fold. Who's Alduin?" The Name sounded strangely important to them. They looked at the woman, wanting to ask her, but she was already moving down the hill.

They shrugged it off for now and walked towards a little cavern, where they saw something standing on top of it.

"Is that… The Yeti?" Dipper asked while narrowing his eyes. It looked like the legendary snowman, but as it sprang down and attacked them, it was clear that it was a white Troll. It growled, and charged at them. Mabel wanted to use her lightning, but figured that fire would probably do better up here. As the Troll began to burn, it ducked and tried to put out the flames. Dipper shot an arrow in the biest's chest, and it growled in pain. The twins decided to use their new ability and shouted in unison.

 _"FUS!"_ The Shout hit the troll, which stumbled back. This opened a window for Wendy, who sliced the monsters leg. It growled out again, and Dipper shot another arrow, this time hitting it's leg. With it's leg broken, and the troll still on fire, it lost his stand and tumbled down the hill, before falling of the cliff.

"Well. We just killed the Yeti." Mabel pointed out.

They went into the cave it was standing on, and searched through the bit of stuff that was in here.

After that, they went on with their way, and eventually found another tablet. "With roaring Tongues, the Sky-Children conquer. Founding the First Empire with sword and Voice. Whilst the Dragons withdrew from this world."

"What exactly means from this world? Did they move to other Dimensions?" Dipper asked, worried that dragons could show up somewhere else and enslave the people there.

"Don't know. This would be something to ask Ford." Mabel said. "Though, I think it's just another way to say: They are dead."

"You're probably right. Come on. I think we're close to the top."

They walked, and took a moment to look over the land. Most of Skyrim was covered by forests, while the north was frozen. Most interesting though, there was a volcano to their east. And it was spitting ash.

A short time later, they found the next tablet. "The Tongues at Red Mountain went away humbled. Jurgen Windcaller began His Seven Year Meditation, to find out how Strong Voices could fail." Dipper read out. "Interesting. Even this legendary Heroes were not undefeatable."

"Yeah. Maybe he thought he was, and got to cocky." Wendy suggested.

The next Tablet wasn't far away. "Jurgen Windcaller chose Silence and returned. The 17 disputants could not shout Him down. Jurgen the Calm built His home on the Throat of the World." They looked up and already saw a giant cathedral.

"So this Jurgen Windcaller built High Hrothgar. Bet he founded the Greybeards too?" Mabel offered.

"I'm gonna take this bet. How much?" Wendy agreed.

"One Dollar?"

"Deal." Wendy and Mabel shook hands, sealing the bet in stone.

"You two know that dollars are useless here?" Dipper pointed out, and both girls looked at each other.

"Of course. We actualy meant Septim." Wendy said.

"Yeah. Septim."

"Aren't we sharing our mon- You know what? Let's just go."

They moved along, and soon found the next stone, which was, once again, covered in snow. "For years all silence, the Greybeards spoke one name. Tiber Septim, stripling then, was summoned to Hrothgar. They blessed and named him Dohvakiin." Wendy read.

"Just like us…" Dipper muttered. What if they had the same destiny as Septim? If there even was such a thing as destiny.

The last tablet was on the base of the stairs leading into the castle. "The Voice is worship. Follow the inner path. Speak only in True Need. Heh. Looks like this Voice thing is dangerous."

"Kinda obvious, isn't it?" Wendy pointed out. "Also, can we get in there now? Im freezing."

"Okay, just let me put this food in the chest." As said, Dipper put the supplies in the chest in front of the entrance, and they entered the massive building.

* * *

The inside was pretty dark. The stone that the walls were made of had a dark, burned color. A big statue looked over the entrance, and four corridors led to the sides of the building. In the back was another, bigger door that led outside. A monk in a robe approached them, and shortly after three other monks joined them. He greeted them with open arms. "So… two Dragonborn appear, at this moment in the turning of the age."

"Sorry, but what do you mean with turning of the age? And everyone keeps calling us Dragonborn. What the heck does that mean?" Dipper asked.

"First, let us see if you truly are Dragonborn."

"And then you will answer our questions?" Mabel asked.

"Of course. Now shout at me." The twins looked at each other, shrugged, and then shouted at the monk.

 _"FUS!"_

He tumbled backwards, shook dust of of his robe, and stepped forward again. "Dragonborn. It is you. Welcome to High Hrothgar. I am Master Arngeir. I speak for the Greybeards. Now tell me, Dragonborn, why have you two come here?"

The three were seriously confused right now. "Uhm, you guys called us here? That's what Balgruuf said." Mabel explained.

"That's right."

"Oh god. I think this is some kind of The-true-meaning-of-your-journey-thing." Wendy said, a bit annoyed. It wouldn't be easy to get answers.

"Alright, and why don't the others talk?" Dipper asked.

"The Reason for that is the Voice. You'll understand soon. "e are honored to welcome two Dragonborns to High Hrothgar. We will do our best to teach you how to use your gift in fullfillment of your destiny."

"And what is our destiny?" Mabel asked. "Becoming superheroes?"

"That is for you to discover. We can show you the Way, but not your destinations."

"Oh. Okay." Dipper replied disappointed. "Okay then, we are ready to learn."

"You have shown that you are Dragonborn. You have the inborn gift. But do you have the discipline and Temperament to follow the path laid out for you?"

"Oh, we sooo have the discipline and stuff." Mabel said. She showed the new sweater she had in her bag and squeezed the dragon head she knitted on doing this, she made roaring sounds. Wendy, Dipper and one of the monks for some reason, facepalmed.

"That remains to be seen." said Arngeir as he slowly turned back towards the other two. "Without training, you have already taken the first steps toward projecting your Voice into a Thu'um, a Shout. Now let us see if you are willing and able to learn. When you Shout, you speak in the language of the Dragons. Thus, your Dragon Blood gives you an inborn ability to learn Words of Power. All Shouts are made up of three Words of Power. As you master each Word, your Shout will become progressively stronger. Master Einarth will now teach you 'Ro', the second Word in Unrelenting Force. 'Ro' means 'balance' in the Dragon Tongue. Combine it with 'Fus', 'Force', to focus your Thu'um more sharply."

One of the monks stepped forward and stood between the trio and Arngeir.

" _RO"_ he shouted towards the ground.

The whole building shook, and a rune appeared on the ground. The twins looked at it, and, like at the wall in Bleak Falls Barrow, the word burned itself into their minds.

 _ **Ro-Balance.**_

Instantly, they saw light coming from Einarth towards them. Arngeir saw the look on their faces. "Don't worry. He just shared his knowledge of the Word with you." The light stopped. The Pines instantly understood the word and felt the same power as when they absorbed Mirmulnir soul. "You learn a new Word like masters… You truly do have the gift. But learning a new Word of Power is only the first step… you must unlock its meaning through constant practice in order to use it in a Shout. Well, that is how the rest of us learn Shouts. As Dragonborn, you can absorb a slain dragon's life force and knowledge directly. Now let us see how quickly you can master your new Thu'um. Use your Unrelenting Force shout to strike the targets as they appear."

 _"FLIK LO…SAR!"_ One of the monks shouted, and some kind of shadow appeared. The twins guessed this was the target and shouted at it.

 _"FUS RO!"_ This time, they felt more power moving through them then with only one word. The target disappeared and the two cheered.

"Well done. Again." They stopped cheering and concentrated again. Wendy was kind of surprised how determined the two were.

Einarth came forward again. " _FLIK LO… SAR!"_ They destroyed the second target.

"You learn quickly. Once more." The last monk stepped forward.

 _"FLIK LO… SAR!"_ The last one was destroyed quickly to.

"Impressive. Your Thu'um is precise. You show great promise, Dragonborns. We will perform your next trial in the courtyard. Follow master Borri." Like said, the twins followed the monk through the gate at the back of the room. The courtyard was even more freezing than the way up the mountain, and a giant snowstorm blocked a way that lead to the peak of the mountain. "We will now see how you learn a completely new Shout. Master Borri will teach you 'Wuld', which means 'Whirlwind' " Like in the building, one of the monks stepped forward and shouted towards the ground.

" _WULD!"_ Another rune appeared.

"You must hear the Word within yourself to project it into a Thu'um." Mabel and Dipper learned the new Word, which again burned itself into their minds.

 _ **Wuld-Whirlwind.**_

"Now we will see how quickly you can master a new Shout. Master Wulfgar will demonstrate Whirlwind Sprint. Then it will be your turn. Master Borri."

" _BEX!"_ He opened a gate with his Voice. " _WULD. NAH… REST!"_

The Greybeard dashed through the gate, so fast that no eye could ever see it. He ran back through it and it closed again.

"Now it is your turn. Stand next to me. Master Borri will open the gate. Use your Whirlwind Sprint to pass through before it closes. And please, one at a time. Crashing into each other at such a speed would be... not desirable" Borri opened the gate again, and Dipper shouted.

 _"WULD"_ Just like Borri, he dashed through the opened gate. Mabel did the same, and the gate got opened again, letting them go back.

"Your quick mastery of a new Thu'um is… astonishing. I'd heard the stories of the abilities of Dragonborn, but to see it for myself…"

"Well, we don't really know how it works. It just happens." Dipper answered.

"Probably because we are great." Mabel tried to answer.

"You were given this gift by the Gods for a reason. It is up to you to figure out how best to use it. You are now ready for your last trial."

"Bring it on then. What is it? A new Shout? Defeating some ancient evil? Saving the sun? Getting some ancient artifact?"Mabel said with determination.

"The last one was not to far off. Retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, our founder."

"My money please." Mabel said, holding an hand out to Wendy, who pulled out a Septim.

"What was that?" Arngeir asked them.

"We saw those stones on the way up and the two made a bet if Jurgen founded the Greybeards."

"Ah. Anyway. It's in his tomb in the ancient fane of Ustengrav. Remain true to the Way of the Voice, and you will return."

"Great. Another tomb." Dipper sighed.

"I know it's not easy. But you need to do it." The twind shrugged, and went back in, only to make their way to the gate that led back down. As they were about to leave, Arngeir pulled Wendy to the side.

"Miss Wendy, is it? I need a moment to talk with you."

"It is Coduroy, actually. Something wrong?"

"I know what you did at the Valtheim Towers."

Wendy first wondered how he knew that, but then realised that a couple of ancient monks, that teached people how to kill things with yelling probably had their ways. "And?"

"We know you are not from this world. But it works different here than where you come from." Arngeir explained.

"What do you mean by that? How do you know we're not from here?"Wendy asked.

"Your attire, your names, your speech patterns reveal your origin. It may be hard to accept, but if you are not ready to kill if necessary, you won't survive."

"But I don't want to kill anyone."

"It doesn't matter what you want. This world is dangerous. And I know you are only kids, but you will get used to it." He looked toward the Twins, who told each other jokes. "As much as it saddens me, they will be forced to commit such a thing to. But I want you to help them. You seem to have gotten over this bandit pretty fast, and I want you to help them get through it, should they ever be forced to kill someone. Out there, it's kill, or get killed." Wendy thought about that. If this world was like he said, and there was no doubt it was, this could be very difficult for them. She nodded however, and Arngeir followed her back to the kids. "Anything else you want to ask?"

"Actually, I want to know two things in particular." Dipper said. "First, why are the Shouts in dragon language?"

"Dragons have always been able to shout. Language is instrinsic to their very being. There is no difference in the dragon tongue between debating and fighting. Shouting comes as naturally to dragons as breathing, or speaking. In mythic times, when Mortalkind was in great need, the goddess Kynareth granted us the ability to speak as dragons do."

"Okay, we kind of got that form the stones already. Second, how much else is there you can tell us?"

"There is indeed much that we know that you do not. That does not mean that you are ready to understand it. Do not let your mastery of the Voice tempt you into the arrogance of power that has been the downfall of many Dragonborn before you." Arngeir explained.

"Well, that was a bit unsettling." Mabel replied. "Thank you anyways. Bye!"

"Good luck, Dragonborn!" Arngeir said, and closed the door behind them.

* * *

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	14. Ghost Hunt

Chapter 14: Ghosthunt

The sun was already setting when the trio arrived back at Ivarstead. Since it would be a terrible idea to travel at night, they decided to stay at the inn for the night. That way they could also have a good dinner. Thus, they sat down at a table, and waited for the innkeeper to come to them. After a couple of minutes, he finally took their order.

"You're back, I see. How did it go?" He asked.

"Pretty good. By the way, we took out the Troll on the way up, so it should be safer now." Dipper replied. "Anyway, I'll take the pheasant again."

"Just a little question." Mabel said. "Do you have pancakes?"

"I've never heard of it." The keeper shrugged.

"Dammit. I'll take the same then." The girl answered, frustrated at the lack of pancakes.

"I'm gonna take, uhm, do you have fish?" Wendy asked.

"Yes, we do. Salmon or Histkarp."

"Salmon then." Wendy answered. The inkeeper nodded and went behind the counter to prepare the food.

"So, tomorrow we're gonna go and get that horn?" Mabel asked her friends.

"I guess. I hope we don't have to get through a Draugr-infested ruin again." Dipper answered.

"Yeah, that would suck." The innkeeper came back, bringing three plates with him. The three friends ate, and went to bed. Mabel and Wendy fell to sleep fast, but not Dipper. As soon as the two were asleep, he grabbed his bow, put on his armor, and snuck out of the room, and then the inn. Once he was outside, he took a deep breath and looked up.

At first, he was confused at the two moons. It seemed like the smaller, grey one travelled around the bigger, red one. He found that extremely unsettling, as one of them would eventually be slingshoted into outer space, or into Nirn. His worries vanished however, as he saw the rest of the sky. Colorful Aurora Borealis were all over the night sky, with hundreds of visible stars between. He had to admit, it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

Dipper shook his head. He had a mission, and couldn't use his night to stare into the sky. There was a ghost to catch, afterall. And he was already getting tired. He followed a path leading out of the town, and to a hill with build-in structures. The Dragonborn went inside the hill, and went along the outer ring, until he found the way that led deeper into the tomb.

As he entered and walked down the first staircase, he found purple crystals. He remembered that Mabel mentioned them on the day Farengar teached her magic. They were called Soul gems, and were needed for enchantments. He put the gem in his bag, together with the gold that was next to the crystal. Dipper went along, and found a dead Draugr in a hallway. Then another one. This was both bad and good. On one hand, there were Draugr down here. On the other hand, all of them seemed to be dead already.

After some steps he found himself in an intersection. To his left was just a normal room, and to his right a closed door. He nearly froze as he saw a figure standing behind it. It glew blue, and he could make out the ghost's facial features.

"Hello?" He asked. Maybe he could convince the ghost to leave.

"Leave!" the Ghost answered, and disappered into the tomb. His voice echoed among the halls.

At first, Dipper was thinking about turning around. Maybe his friends were right. No, he promised the inkeeper to take care of the ghost, and he would do it. First, he would have to open the gate though. Thus, he went into the left room and found four lever. He tried the first one on the left side of the door, and heard a faint clicking sound. Then, he tried the first one on the right side, and the gate opened.

Dipper walked towards the haunted room. Here, again, were two ways. Trying not to get lost, he took some stones from the ground and put a small arrow on the ground, pointing into the direction he came from. On one side was a pull-chain hanging next to a door, the other one was locked. He first lockpicked the locked door, which opened slowly. Inside, he missed the pressure plate on the ground. As he stepped on it, giant spears came out of the wall in front of him. The Dragonborn waited until they were gone, and found a chest at the end of the hallway. He saw a small robe leading from the chest into the ground, and figured that this was a trap. Using a mummification tool laying close by, he cut the rope and opened the chest carefully. Inside was a bit of gold and an emerald.

He went back to the chain and pulled it, activating another spear trap, but also opening the door. When they retracted back into the wall, Dipper walked down the stairs. He found himself in another intersection, put down another arrow, and used the left door. The ghost waited behind it.

"Alright. I don't want anything bad. Just tell me why you're here, and what has to be done for you to leave." Dipper said, and tried to calm the ghost down. Instead, lightning came out of the ghost's hand. Dipper jumped into cover behind the doorway. "Why is everyone here so aggresive?" The lightning hit the ground next to him, and he took an arrow. However, taking aim was nearly impossible with the spell. "I hope that works." He looked around the corner.

 _"FUS ROH!"_

The Ghost was pushed back, and opened an window for Dipper. He shot it toward the ghost. The spirit grunted as the arrow pierced it's chest. "Ghosts are vulnerable to physical attacks? How?" He wasn't really thinking when shooting the arrow, and was surprised it actually worked. At least now he knew what to do. He pulled out another arrow, and tried to hit the ghost's head. The arrow flew past it, and hit the wall. The ghost pulled the arrow out of it's chest, but was hit with another one. The surprise caused it to fall over, and it hit it's head on a table. Blue light emitted from it.

"Welp. I just killed a Ghost with arrows. Unusual, but why not." Dipper muttered as he came out of his cover, and walked towards the ghost. "I need stop talking to myself…" As the blue light disappeared, he saw a dead body lying there, which looked just like the ghost.

It took some seconds until he realised what just happened. "Thi- This wasn't a ghost..." Out of shock, he dropped on his knees, and slowly moved closer to the corpse. The eyes of the man were still wide open, and blood came out of the two wounds in his chest. Dozens of thoughts went through Dipper's mind, and the stress, combined with the shock and him being tired, caused him to collapse on the ground.

* * *

As his eyes opened again, he saw two familiar faces. He hoped that the events of the night were a dream, and tried to get up.

"Slow Dipper. You've been out for quite some time." Mabel said, and helped him get up.

"What happened? How did you find me?"

"We woke up and noticed that you were gone. This was just the most likely place you'd be." Wendy explained.

"Yeah, you were laying here, unconscius. Next to that corpse there." Mabel added, and pointed at the dead guy.

"I-, I-" Dipper's breath became faster, and he started panicking."I can explain."

"It's cool dude. No bad feelings. We know what happened. He had it coming."

That answer surprised Dipper. "What?"

"When we found you, we found a diary on the table." Wendy said.

"We looked into his diary, and appearently he used a potion to look like a ghost. With that, he tried to keep the townsfolk away from the tomb." Mabel explained. "Over the time, he became completely mad and paranoid. Maybe you did him a favor."

"That, and you thought he was a ghost. He attacked you. There was nothing else you could have done." Wendy added.

Dipper smiled and stood up. "And what now?"

"Now we explore this place." Mabel suggested.

"Uhm, I think I already foun everything."

"Not really. This guy was searching for a dragonclaw, like the one at Bleak Falls Barrow. Ironically, the innkeeper had it. He gave it to us, after we showed him the diary." Wendy said.

"But why? I don't think there'll be anything down there." Dipper pointed out. "Except Draugr."

"Remember what happened at the end of Bleak Falls Barrow?" Mabel reminded him.

He thought for a moment, and then realised what she meant. "You think there might be a shout hidden down there?" Mabel nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

Thus, they entered the next hallway, which had the respective door at the end. Mabel looked at the claw, and the three turned the rings so that they showed the right code. Mabel then put the claw in the middle, and turned it. The door descended into the ground, and opened up the way into the rest of the tomb.

"Soul Gem!" Mabel yelled and ran towards the table at the end of the new hallway, and picked up the crystal.

The next room contained five coffins, two on the lower level and three on a higher level. In the middle of the room was a pedestal with a spell tome on it. Mabel picked it up and opened it. In her mind, she saw that the spell was called Oakflesh.

With a thud, the doors closed and the coffins started to rumble. The three pulled out their respective weapons, getting ready for a battle. A Draugr rose from every coffin, and attacked the group.

Wendy quickly dispatched the one closest to her. Another Draugr, without any visible weapons, approached Mabel. She readied her lightning bolts, but was surprised as the Draugr began to cast an ice spell. She countered the attack with a ward, and then threw a lightning bolt at the monster. The electricity moved through his body, draining his magicka. With his last resorts, he threw an ice spike. Mabel dodged it, however, and switched to flames. She set the ground under the undead on fire, burning him.

Meanwhile, Dipper had shot one Draugr in the belly, but it still moved towards him. As soon as he was close enough, the Draugr led his two-hander down. Dipper rolled out of the way, and shot another arrow into the undead, killing it.

The remaining two draugr now followed the good old "Fuck-it" strategy and just charged at the group. Without any strategy of the undead, they were quickly taken down. Once they were dead, the doors opened back up.

After catchting their breath, they walked down a winding staircase. Wendy was in the front, as she was the one best suited for CQC, then Mabel and Dipper in the back. However, this also caused Wendy to step on a trapdoor on the bottom. It opened and she nearly fell into the water, but the twins managed to grab her arms and pull her back. The twins looked at each other and nodded.

 _"WULD!"_

From one second to the other, they were on the other side of the trapdoor. Wendy jumped over the small pit, and landed next to them.

A couple of minutes, and a skeleton, later, they found themselves on a balcony and saw a handle next to two coffins. Without any other option, they pulled it and a skeleton and Draugr emerged. The enemies were quickly killed however. They looked down into the next room, and saw five skeletons standing inside an oil slick. Mabel grinned, and used her flames to ignited it. The skeletons died in the inferno. Mabel chuckled at that, causing Wendy and Dipper to look at each other with a worried impression on their faces. As Mabel went down into the new graveyard, her friends remained on the balcony.

"I think she's beginning to loose it." Wendy said.

"Because of her laughing?"

"Yeah. It was kinda creepy."

"I'm sure it's nothing. They were just skeletons. We also still have the note Farengar gave us, about the College over in Winterhold. In case it gets bad, we can still send her there."

"You're right." Wendy replied, and both went down to Mabel.

They went back up on the other side, and found a small treasure room. Mabel grabbed a soul gem, and Wendy a sword leaning on the wall. It had a green color, and a rough edge. It nearly looked like someone broke it out of a stone. Wendy put the sword on her back, and saw how Dipper put gold into their bag.

Some hallways later, they entered a room with a pressure plate. Around it stood four stone pillar with animals engraved on them. It wasn't hard to find out what to do, and they began to search for a hint. Wendy entered a neighboring room, and the twins heard her scream.

She ran out of the room, followed by a giant monster made out of ice.

"What the hell is this thing?" Dipper screamed.

"How should I know?"

The monster striked, and the punch created ice spikes on the ground. Logically, Mabel used the Flame Spell to meld the golem, but to no avail. Dipper used an arrow and hit the head of the thing, but it didn't even flinch. Wendy jumped on the back of the creature and stabbed it with her new sword. The monster tried to shake her off, but its feet slowly began to meld under Mabel's fire. Still, Wendy didn't come through the ice of the monster. Dipper looked around for something that could help, and saw a Draugr with a cloud of ice in his hand, standing in the neighboring room.

"Of course. The Draugr summoned this thing." He pointed out.

"You think?" Mabel said and opened a magicka potion.

Dipper nodded. "I'm gonna take care of him, hold this golem off my back."

"Got it." Mabel answered and got back to cast fire at the monster. Dipper ran into the next room and shot at the Draugr. The arrow hit the undead's head, but the Draugr was still standing. It casted an frost spell at him, and froze the air around Dipper. He used another arrow to shoot at the Draugr, but missed, as ice began to build up around him. As the Draugr came closer, a cracking noise was heard. Dipper turned around, as much as possible, and saw that the golem disappeared, and Wendy landed, rather harsh, on her back.

Seeing the frozen Dipper, the two came to aid him, and Mabel melded the ice around her brother. "Thanks. Did you defeat it?"

"Not quite sure. It just disappeared." Their Conversation was cut short by another barrage of ice. This time both were frozen, with only their heads sticking out of the ice. "You've got to be kidding me." At least they still were able to shout.

 _"FUS RO!"_ The Draugr stumbled back, only to be beheaded by Wendy with her ax.

"Those things are definitely getting stronger." Dipper pointed out. "Uhm, Wendy? Can you get us out of here?"

"Let me try." Wendy stepped up to them, and hit the ice with her ax, which created more ice.

Mabel tried to use her flame spell. It was a bit harder to use with frozen hands, but it worked. The ice around her hands melted, and she first got herself out, then her brother. "Now that this is out of the way, let's see if we can find a clue."

The only thing in the room was a pressure plate in the middle. With a deep breath, Dipper stepped on it. Four parts of the wall began to move, revealing the code. They went back to the stones and moved them into the right order: Whale-Eagle-Snake-Whale.

Dipper stepped on the pressure plate in the middle of the room, and a bridge lowered, opening a new path. After sneaking past another trap, they found another soulgem. This time, however, it felt like energy emitted from it, and it looked like something was pulsating inside.

"I guess this one is full." Mabel guessed. "Good news Guys! We can enchant something. If we find a table for it, that is."

In the next room, they found more treasure, including a new bow. Instead of wood, it was made of golden metal. He decided to switch his old bow with the new one, and took a second to look at it. Carvings were all over the weapon, and it looked way more profesionally made. Nearly as if it was made with something more advanced than a normal smithy.

* * *

They passed through the door, and soon found themselves in a room filled with coffins. Thirteen to be exact. In the middle of the room stood a stone temple. The doors closed behind them, and two draugr, accompanied by a skeleton, emerged. Trying out his new bow, Dipper shot at a Draugr, killing it instantly. Mabel had destroyed the skeleton with a lightning blot, which just blew it up. Wendy tried to use her sword in one hand and the ax in the other one. The Draugr was quickly overwhelmed, but Wendy noticed that it was way more uncomfortable then using a single weapon. Not to mention the fact that it made blocking nearly impossible. Thus, she sheathed the sword again and used her ax. Four more enemies emerged, two Draugr and two skeletons. They were dispatched easily too, and three more rised from the dead.

"Come on. How many are there?" Dipper said.

The skeleton was again blown up by lightning, while one of the Draugr got his spine severed by an ax. The last one charged at Dipper and got shot down. Two more enemies emerged, but due to only being skeletons, they died quick enough.

The last Coffin broke open, and revealed a Draugr, wearing a similiar armor to the last one in Bleak Falls Barrow.

 _"FUS RO!"_

His shout caused the group to stumble back, and he charged at them with a two-handed waraxe.

 _"WULD!"_ The twins shouted and got behind the opponent, so that they getting a better chance at hitting the monster.

Mabel used her lightning bolt again, shocking the Draugr. Dipper shot an arrow, hitting it's back. The Draugr turned around, and Wendy charged at him from behind. It noticed this however and turned around quickly, blocking her strike. He kicked her in the gut, sending her flying against a wall. She landed on top of a dead Draugr.

He instantly turned around again and picked up Dipper, throwing him into a coffin. Now paying attention to Mabel, he attacked with his axe. The Dragonborn decided to try out her newest spell, and casted oakflesh. An Aura appeared around her, and stopped the attack. She still felt the impact, but it left her body unscathed. She returned the favor and attacked the Draugr's head with flames. It cried out in pain, and stepped back some feet. This gave her a short moment to think of something. Then it hit her. She casted her candlelight, but instead of throwing it into the corner of the room, she aimed at the undead. The improvised flashbang grenade did its job, and blinded the Draugr. He tried to claw the light out, but Mabel tackled him to the ground. Mabel stood up and looked at the, honestly pitful sight. She opened her mouth.

" _FUS RO!"_

She aimed at the head of the Draugr. As it hit, the force of the shout caused Mabel to be thrown back, but the Draugr was dead in an instand. The light was still floating above his head.

"Mabel! This was awesome!" Wendy complimented as she tried to get back up. She held her side.

"Uhm, thanks. Are you okay?"

"My back hurts a bit, but other than that, I'm okay."

"Can you help me out of here?" Dipper, who was still in the coffin, yelled. They walked over to him, and looked inside. The bottom of the thing was broken. The hole wasn't big enough for the Draugr to fall through, but Dipper was stuck in it. The girls grabbed his arms, and pulled him out of the coffin.

As he dusted himself off, the door opened by itself, and they could hear the chants of a word wall. In the last room, they found a giant chest. After Dipper disarmed the trap at the chest, they searched through it. Inside was some armor, gold and a green-golden mace. More gold, armor and a sword were scattered around the chest.

They took the gold and ignored the other stuff. It would just slow them down, and having that many weapons was a bit unnessecary.

As they approached the word wall, a new word began to burn itself into Mabel's mind.

 _ **Kaan-Kyne.**_

"Great, new shout!" Mabel yelled in excitement.

"What? I got nothing." Dipper said disappointed.

"Really? Why?"

Confused, the twins looked over to the wall, which stopped glowing.

"Maybe a fail safe?" Wendy guessed.

"What do you mean?" Mabel asked, still confused.

"Remember what the greybeards said?" Wendy tried her best at an impression of them. "…Many Dragonborn have fallen to arrogance. Maybe the shouts balance each other out? So that one doesn't get to powerful."

Mabel looked back at the wall. "You sure?"

Wendy shrugged. "It's my best guess."

"But why did she get it? We both had two." Dipper pointed out.

"Is someone jealous?" Mabel mocked him.

"I'm not jealous!"

"She did defeat the last Draugr. Maybe that has something to do with it." Wendy said.

"Yeah, maybe. That means the next one's mine though. Now let's find a way out of this hole."

They began to look around, and found a stone bridge to their right. It led to a small room with a chain on the wall. It opened a hidden pathway, which led back to the 'Ghost's' workroom. Dipper tried not to look at the corpse, and they left the barrow. The sun was standing high, and the friends took a deep breath of the fresh forest air. They visited the inn one last time to explain what happened down there, and to buy some more proviant.

When they left the inn, two strangers approached them. They wore brown-black robes and their faces were hidden under bonemasks.

"Hey! Do you know someone called Dipper and Mabel Pines?" One of them asked.

Mabel was about to tell them who they were, but was stopped by her brother. "Yes we do. Is there a reason you're searching for them?"

"They are dragonborn, and Mas-" The other cultist hit the back of his companions head. "Right." He coughed. "We need to talk to them."

Dipper narrowed his eyes. "Well, they left into this direction." Dipper pointed north.

"Thank you. Did they say were they went?"

"They said they wanted to visit…" Dipper thought for a moment, trying to remember any city he saw on the map, preferably not in their way. "…Solitude."

"Thank you very much child."

After they left, Mabel turned towards her brother. "Why didn't you tell them?"

"Because they are evil."

"Come on, they seemed friendly."

"I've got to agree with Dipper. I mean, they were wearing bone masks and dark robes. They are probably part of some cult."

Mabel sighed. "Okay, you're right. Where are we going now?"

"Let's see." Dipper pulled out their map, and looked where they could go. He had marked the rough location of Ustengrav on it. "I think it would be a good idea to go through Riften, and then to Windhelm. This means the way is longer, but we won't run into them again."

"Then come on. I want to be there before it gets dark." Wendy said. Thus, they left the town to the south, deeper into the forest.

* * *

The two cultists left Ivarstead north, with Solitude as their destination.

"What the hell was that? You nearly blew our cover Assorn!" One of them yelled.

"What cover? We are wearing bonemasks and robes. This isn't exactly something I would call cover, Tolgan." Assorn replied.

"When master Miraak finds out about this, he will punish you."

"Hey, if we find them, it will more than make up for it." They walked a bit, before Assorn tried to change the subject. "So, those children were friendly."

"Yes. They would make great cultists."

"Maybe if we get them to join us, he will reward us even more." Assorn suggested, and gasped. "Maybe we get better robes. Maybe we can even decide the color!"

Trilu just stared at his partner, and then shook his head. "Why did he assign you to help me?"

"Because he likes me."

"Feels more like he hates me."

As they walked by a small cave, they saw the still bloody bones of a troll. A large cat sit one them, and watched. After a couple of seconds, it got up, and slowly approached them. "Nice Kitty. Friendly Kitty." Assorn said, trying to calm the animal down.

The Smilodon jumped at them, and they began to flee down the hill.

* * *

 **About the shouts, I thought that it would be a bit much if both twins would get the shout everytime. The idea is that Dipper gets the offensive shouts, since his possibilities in battle are somewhat limited with a bow. Mabel will get the utility shouts though.  
Both will get the Shouts that are important to the story though. **

**Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda, Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	15. Riften

Chapter 15: Riften

The way to the south definetely made the way to Ustengrav longer. Still, the hike through the forest was calming. The friendly atmosphere was accompanied by the sounds of birds and insects. Occasionaly, a deer would run over the road. Due to some signs, they knew that they were somewhat close to Helgen. It would shorten the way, but passing through the ruins would be difficult. Not only could the streets be blocked by rubble, there was also the possibility that bandits had build up a presence there.

Along the way, something glistening in the woods caughed Dipper's attention. He narrowed his eyes and couldn't believe what he found. The dragonborn ran towards it and left the others behind. Wendy and Mabel looked at each other and followed him. He stopped in front of something that pretty much looked like a pile of trash. If it wasn't for one crucial fact. Dipper put his hand into the pile and pulled out a familiar, red book.

"Is that the Journal?" Mabel asked.

Dipper wiped dirt from the cover, revealing a golden, six-fingered hand with a three in it. "Yeah. But I don't understand what it is doing here. Except…" He looked more through the trash, and found even more familiar stuff. "This is were we landed. The emperials must have forgotten this stuff. Or threw it away." He pulled out a piece of metal and gave it to Mabel.

"My grappling hook!" She yelled and shot it against a tree. "It still works. Neat."

The three continued to look through the pile, and put everything useful on the ground. There was everything they had with them while fleeing from the monster: Mabel's grappling hook, the Journal, some glitter, cookies and a flashlight. Before they could decide what to take with them, Wendy found something else.

"I think I found your phones." She pulled two grey boxes out of the pile.

Both grabbed their devices.

"We can call Stan!" Mabel suggested. "If he's here too."

"I don't think they have sattelites here." Dipper pointed out.

"A try can't hurt." She tried to turn it on, but it was out of charge. "So much for that plan. Your's too?" Her brother nodded. "I could charge them with my lightning bolt!" Mabel suggested, and got ready to use her spell.

"Stop!" Her friends stopped her.

"What?"

"You'll just blow them up." Wendy pointed out. "Maybe if you had a cable or something, but this won't work."

Mabel sighed, and put her phone in the bag, followed by Dipper. They looked through the pile one last time. All that was left was paper, plants, rocks and some trash the emperials left here. Wendy tried one of the cookies, but spit it out. It was already stale, and her friends chuckled. They decided to leave the cookies, and put the rest into their bag.

"Hey, Wendy? You think we'll find your stuff too?" Dipper asked while trying to fit the Journal inside the bag.

"I have everything, dude. I only had my ax with me."

"You didn't have your phone?" Mabel asked, genuinly surprised by that.

"It was outta charge, so I left it at the shack to load when I went out. Do we have everything useful from here?"

"Yep. Only thing left is trash. We should get going. Before a bear or something else shows up." Dipper said. His friends agreed, and they continued their hike.

* * *

The rest of the way to Riften was quiet, with only a group of skeevers and a 'small' Frostbite attacked them. The sun was already setting as the walls of the city became visible. Riften was build at a river, with boats going into the city, as well as coming out. Houses were build above the water, and the people working there led them to believe that the city relied mostly on trading.

As they tried to enter the town, a guard stopped them. "Please travellers, use the northern entrance."

The group exchanged some confused looks. "Why?"

"Official order."

Dissapointed, and a little bit annoyed, they moved along the walls to the northern gate. Another guard waited here, guarding the entrance.

"Want to go through?" He asked, and blocked the way with his sword.

"Uhm, yeah. We need somewhere to stay for the night." Wendy answered the guard.

"Well, I'm supposed to not let anyone in. But I think I can make an exception for a couple of children. Come in. Just don't tell anyone, okay?"

They agreed to it, and he opened the gate.

To their surprise, Riften was a dark, almost depressing city. Everything was build out of dark wood, the people looked shady and the air smelled bad. It seemed like the city was poor, with a lot of problems. They noticed that the citizens were constantly looking around, as if they suspected to get attacked or robbed at every second. None of them wanted to stay here for more than a night. As they were looking for the local inn, they passed over a market. A canal was going around it. After looking down into it, they at least knew where the stench was coming from. After asking someone at the market, they found the inn, called The Bee and Barb, and entered.

Inside was the last thing they expected. A man came closer, but instead of being a human, or elf, it was a lizard. He had green scales, and featherlike 'hair'.

"Welcome to the Bee and Barb." The reptiloid greeted them. "Is there something I can do for you?"

They had to take a moment to get around the shock. "Uhm, we wanted to know if you've got a room to rent?" Mabel asked.

"Yes, we have one. It would cost ten gold." They payed the price, and the lizard showed them their room, which was upstairs. "Do you want a dinner too?"

Dipper shrugged. "Yeah, why not." They put their stuff inside the room, and sat down at a table downstairs.

After they ordered their food, and payed the lizard, he sat down at the table too. "You're travellers, I take it?"

"How did you know?" Mabel asked, while still having food in her mouth.

He let out a small chuckle. "I know everyone in Riften. And you are completely new faces to me. So, where are you coming from?"

The trio stared at each other, and each one of them tried to quickly come up with a story. "Uhm, a island a great distance away from here." Dipper said.

"Foreigners? Which island do you come from?" He asked back.

"Oregon. It's called Oregon." Mabel replied.

"Never heard of it."

"Yeah, it's not well known." Wendy said. She hoped he would buy that.

"And you don't have argonians there, right?" He asked.

"Uhm, Argonians?" Dipper asked, very confused.

"My people. From blackmarsh?"

"Sorry. Not that I know." Dipper said. "Wait, why do you ask?"

"Your face when you saw me. That's a normal response from people that never heard of Argonians. I'm Talen-Jei by the way."

"Alright, Talen-Jei, is something wrong with Riften? It seems so... sad." Mabel asked.

"That has a number of reasons. See, a long time ago, Riften was a wealthy city. A number of guilds had their branches here, and it was a central place for merchants and carawans from Morrowind. Then, around one hundred years ago, the Jarl was murdered. The one who took his place enforced high taxes and spent most of the citie's wealth to build himself a damn castle."

"Sounds rough. Is he still Jarl?" Wendy asked.

"I don't think so. No one lives that long." Dipper said.

"He didn't even live up to that point. His deeds caused the people to revolt, and the resulting fire consumed most of the town. It had never recovered. The only guild left is the Thieves guild, and even they are declining."

"Thieves guild? Like and actual organisation of thieves?" Dipper asked. At least that explained the behavior of the citizens.

"Don't think to much about them. They are vermin... garbage. They're exactly what makes this city such a horrible place to live. How appropriate they should live in the Ratway." the argonian explained. He had anger in his voice.

"If it is so horrible here, why don't you move out?" Mabel wondered.

"It's not that easy. I have my business here, and we argonians aren't very appreciated in most of Skyrim. And with the Civil war, and the dragons, it's more dangerous than ever. I don't want to endanger me, or Keerava, for a live that may be worse than here. Luckily, there are still enough customers to stay fed."

The trio felt really sorry for him. Especially since they couldn't do anything, but hope that Riften would one day find back to its old glory.

Over the course of the evening, they ate a good dinner while talking with the argonian. He was surprisingly friendly, which wasn't something they expected from a literal reptile. He told them a lot about blackmarsh, and in turn they told him about the adventures they had. Wendy even tried one of his special drinks.

* * *

Mabel was the last one to be awake, and was working on a sweater for the next day. She only had a small amount of material and colors left though, and decided to play a little prank on her brother the next day.

Lucky for her, he was actually the first one to wake up, and went down into the inn. Mabel quickly put on her new, yellow, sweater, and got ready for the day. She then snuck down the stairs and behind Dipper.

She slowly put her hand on his shoulder, and tried her best Bill-impression. "Hey, Pine Tree." The boy turned around in shock, and fell from his chair.

"Bill? What are you doing here?" He screamed in panic.

Mabel began to laugh, and fell down to the ground. "That was easy." She said under her laughter.

"Mabel! Seriously?"

"Sorry. I just had to do that." She held back her laughter, and stood up. "Seriously though, we have to work on your paranoia." Mabel held out an arm, helping her brother up.

"I know, I know. It's just, getting possessed by a triangle is a very scarring experience." He dusted himself off.

"I don't doubt that. You wanna check out that orphanage?"

"Why?" Dipper remembered the orphanage in the town, that Talen-Jei mentioned last evening.

"If Gruncle Stan or Ford are here, maybe they asked there for us. The chance isn't high, but at least it's there."

Dipper didn't had anything to say against that plan, and agreed. So they left the inn, and asked around in the town. After asking the local blacksmith, he told them where to go. The twins stood next to the door. Dipper wanted to open it, but Mabel stopped him.

"You sure we should go in there? Not that they take us in." She said.

Dipper was confused by her sudden change of mind. "They won't. We aren't orphans."

"Our parents are in a whole other dimension. I think that counts."

He had to admit, she had a point, even though it wasn't the regular definition. "But they don't know that. Come on." He opened the door, and they were instantly greeted by yelling.

The two snuck up to the doorway leading to the room the yelling came from. None of them looked into the room, to not get spotted, but tried to listen to the 'conversation'. It sounded like an old woman was angry at a couple of kids.

"Those who shirk their duties will get an extra beating. Do I make myself clear?" The old lady yelled.

"Yes, Grelod." The kids answered.

"And one more thing! I will hear no more talk of adoptions! None of you riff-raff is getting adopted. Ever! Nobody needs you, nobody wants you. That, my darlings, is why you're here. Why you always will be here, until you come of age and get thrown into that wide, horrible world. Now, what do you all say?"

"We love you, Grelod. Thank you for your kindness."The kids replied. Although they couldn't see them, it was easy to hear that they were scared.

"Wow. She seems like a real sunshine." Mabel muttered.

"Be quiet. I don't want her to hear us." Dipper whispered.

"Don't wanna be here anymo-" Mabel stopped as they heard footsteps coming closer.

Before they could do anything, someone walked around the corner, and stopped in shock. Both sides needed a moment to realise who they just ran into.

"Pacifica!" Mabel yelled happy.

Said blonde was quick ot cover Mabel's mouth with her hand, and pushed her outside. Dipper followed them, and closed the door behind them.

Once the door was closed, Pacifica took the hand away. "What are you two doing here?"

"We could ask you the same." Dipper replied.

She sighed. "I don't know. I was in, uh..." The blonde stopped, and thought for a moment. "The garden of our mansion. Suddenly a thunder storm came up and..."

"You got struck by lightning, and then woke up here?" Mabel finished.

"Well, in the woods. Some guards found me and brought me here. Let me guess, the same thing happened to you?" The twins nodded. "Do you know how we can get home?"

"It won't be that easy. We're in another dimension."

"Yeah, right." Pacifica deadpanned, and crossed her arms.

"We're serious. Or did you ever hear of Tamriel? Or real dragons? Or of the Empire?" Mabel explained.

"Oh my god. You're right." The northwest muttered. She nearly began to panic as the realisation hit her.

She calmed down however, as Dipper put his hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. No need for panic. Everything's fine." He said with a calm voice. "By the way, what was going on in there?"

"What? The yelling? That's normal in there. That old hag Grelod is a complete nutjob. I mean, I just missed a spot when I cleaned the floor, and she gathers us all around and yells at us. I'm lucky I didn't had to go into the room."

"Does that happen often?" Mabel asked. She felt sorry for her.

"You bet it does. Seriously, she is worse than my parents." Pacifica lowered her head and looked at the ground. "At least they never hit me."

"She hit you?" Both twins asked in shock.

"Not only me. All of us. She doesn't even let us go outside, unless we are to go buy something on the market." The blonde looked up again, and tried to change the subject. Still, the twins noticed the tear running down her face. "How was your time here?"

"Well, that's a long story." Dipper said.

"It involves dragons." Mabel pointed out.

"Come again?"

"Turns out we have some kind of gift, which in turn has to do with dragons ans their language." Dipper shortly answered. Pacifica was still confused though.

"What?"

"We can explain it later." Mabel said.

Pacifica shrugged. "And what are you wearing? Looks stupid. I mean, brown on yellow?"

"That's armor, thank you very much." Mabel explained. "Also, you don't walk around like a fashion queen either."

The Northwest looked down at herself. She was wearing a tunic, with her old, purple vest over it. "At least it looks better than yours."

"Alright. Before you two start arguing again, I want to suggest something." Dipper interrupted. "You want to get out of here, right?"

"Sure. I just don't know what to do if I'm out. At least I have a bed in there."

"Lucky for you, we got a house over in Whiterun. Maybe you can come with us." Dipper suggested. Mabel slowly turned her head to look at him. "Right, Mabel?"

She found herself thinking for a moment. Of course, they couldn't just leave her here. And she and Pacifica weren't as much enemies as they used to be, but Mabel didn't know how long they could live together in a house, until they would be at each others throats. Still, leaving her here would be worse. "Yeah. Why not."

"Really? You would bust me out?" Pacifica said, and smiled.

"Of course. We just need to leave. They dont know that we are here, and wouldn't suspect anything until it's to late." Dipper explained.

Pacifica thought for a moment. "Alright. Let's go."

"You got all your stuff?"

"Do I look like I have much left. I hate to admit it, but right now, you two are richer than I am."

Dipper nodded, and had to hold back a smile. He found the irony of that fact a bit amusing. They walked into the direction of the inn, and saw Wendy talking with the blacksmith next to the market. He pointed in their direction, and as soon as she noticed them, she walked over to the group.

"Don't do that again. I thought you where already gone." She said in relief.

"We just looked around the city." Mabel said. "Look who we found."

Wendy looked at Pacifica. "What? Her? The Northwest Girl?"

"Yeah, she was transported here too. I think that's the first time you two actually meet each other. Wendy, this is Pacifica. Pacifica, this is Wendy. She worked at the shack, and now for us." Dipper explained.

Wendy shook Pacifica's hand. "Is she coming with us?"

"Yep. We told her she could stay at bbreezehome until we find a way home." Mabel said.

"Good plan. By the way, the blacksmith over there, he offered to make us better armor. Against a small fee."

"Nice. Wait, doesn't that cost a lot of money?" Dipper wondered.

"He agreed to give us a discount."

"Why though. He doesn't even know us." Dipper pointed out.

"Maybe I slipped up, and noted that you are dragonborn." Wendy replied. "But hey, at least we got new armor."

"Sounds like you don't want people to know that." Pacifica said. "Wait, what's a dragonborn?"

"That's... complicated. We'll explain on the way." Dipper replied.

"And the reason we don't want people to know, is because it could paint a big target on our back, and attract unwanted attraction." Mabel added.

The four went over to the smith, and gave him the information he needed to make the armor. While he was doing that, they went back to the inn, to discuss their next course of action. After sitting down at a table, Dipper opened the map and put it down.

"So that's Skyrim." Pacifica muttered.

"It is." Dipper pointed at the little note they made at the location of Ustengrav. "This is where we need to go. and this..." He pointed at Whiterun. "...is Whiterun. The plan right now is to get to Ustengrav over Windhelm."

"The question is... What do you want to do?" Mabel asked the blonde. "Wanna come with us? Or go there alone from Windhelm?"

They all looked at the rich girl. "I don't know. What is Ustengrav? Like a town or something?"

"It's an old tomb. Probably filled with undead monsters." Wendy explained. "Far in the north, which means it's gonna be really, really cold there."

"And what would be the downside to go directly to Whiterun?"

"Well, you'd be all alone in case something tries to kill you." Dipper said.

"Come on. What should kill me out there?" Pacifica asked sarcastically.

"There are bandits, sabertooth cats, wolves, giants, giant spiders, bears, dragons, giant ra-"

"Okay, enough." Pacifica interrupted Mabel. "I'm gonna go with you."

"Great. We'll bring you to Whiterun after that, kay?" Wendy suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me." The blonde nodded.

"Also." Mabel said. "When we get our new armor, you can have my old one."

"I may be poor right now, but I'm not accepting handouts. And my outfit looked way better than yours."

"Does your outfit help if an animal tries to maul you?" Mabel deadpanned. She was hoping that Pacifica would drop that altitude along the way, or things could get really annoying.

The blonde sighed. "Alright. I'll take it. Anything else?"

"We need to buy you a weapon." Wendy told her.

"Oh, no. No. No. I'm not gonna fight anything."

Dipper let out a long sigh. This was beginning to get on his nerves. "You're gonna take a weapon, or we give you back to Grelod."

The Northwest took on a shocked expression. "Alright. I'm going to buy a weapon."

"Which one?" Dipper asked. "A sword? Mace? Bow?"

"Does it have to be something big and heavy?"

"What about an dagger?" He suggested.

"Yeah, that works. I guess."

They all sat there in silence, not sure what to do now. Finally, Wendy broke the silence. "Anyone wanna get breakfast?"

They all nodded. Pacifica snapped her finger. "Hey, Lizardman. Can we get something to eat?"

"Pacifica. He has a name." Mabel remarked.

"And I don't know his name."

"But do you have to call him lizardman? I'm sure that's speciest."

"You called?" The looked up, and saw Talen-Jei standing there with a note in his hand.

"Can we have breakfast?" Dipper asked.

"Sure. Anything else?" He asked and wrote soemthing down on the note.

"Can I have another one of these 'White-Gold Tower' drinks?" Wendy asked.

"Of course. It'll be here in a minute." He left, and the twins leaned over to Wendy.

"You sure that's a good idea? You looked a little lightheaded last evening."

"I was just tired. And the drink tastes great." She answered, oblivious to what the two meant.

They sighed. "Alright. But if you get drunk, we are not going to carry you."

"You think there's alcohol in there?" She asked in surprise.

"Do you know what's in there?" Mabel asked.

Wendy thought for a moment. "No, but neither do you. I think I would have noticed alcohol."

They decided to let discussion rest, and waited for their food. After the breakfast, and paying Talen-Jei, the four went to the blacksmith and took their armor.

Mabel received a set of scaled armor, while Dipper received an armor set made out of steel plates. Wendy got an nord armor, and they payed 200 Gold to the blacksmith, bought a dagger for Pacifica, and left Riften towards the northern parts of Skyrim.

* * *

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	16. Helping the town

Chapter 16: Helping the town

The road to the north was straight forward, going through the forest and rough terrain of the area. Near the city was an military camp next to the road, close to a fortress. Both were occupied by the Stormcloaks, but the four didn't pay much attention to them. All of them thought that it would be the best to not get involved with the civil war. Behind the fortress, at the foot of a mountain, they found the next town.

It was pretty small, with less buildings than even Ivarstead had. In the back of the town, the path led into the mountain, in what was presumably a mine. Next to the entrance, there was the local blacksmith. Three guards patrolled the town.

The town had a sad feel to it. None of the citizens seemed to talk with each other, or even greeted the visitors. Not even a little smile here and there. Mabel was worried, and decided to go to the blacksmith and ask what was going on. Her friends followed her, and walked up to the smith, who was currently working on a bit of armor. Mabel coughed in her fist, and he turned around to face his visitors.

"Vistors? What brings you out to Shor's Stone?" At least he had a little bit of a smile, but not much.

"Is something wrong here?" Mabel answered. "You guys don't look to good."

He clenched his fists, and pointed at the mine. "Well, Redbelly mine over there runs the economy here. Ever heard of ebony? This stuff is worth a lot of money."

"Why would someone call a mine Redbelly?" Wendy thought out loud.

"Right? Sounds more like a tavern." Pacifica agreed.

"Because of the red mist filling the place." The smith explained. "You get used to it after some time… kind of smells like the hot springs out in the tundra. No idea what`s causing it though."

Pacifica's eyes widened. "Hot springs?" However, she was ignored.

"Maybe a big undergound giant that farts?" Mabel said, trying to lighten the mood. The blacksmith, as well as her friends, looked at her disappointed. "Sorry."

The smith turned back around, and continued working on the armor. "I hate a good mine going to waste like that though."

"What do you mean?" Dipper asked. The situation began to make sense. If the town's economy relied on the mine, and the mine isn't working anymore, it could mean the end for the place.

"It's full of spiders! That's what I mean. Almost killed Grogmar and me when they showed up. I'm worried that they will come out of the mine looking for food soon… then we're in even bigger trouble." The smith got angry, judging by the fact that he began to hammer the armor with more force.

The four exchanged some looks. "And why don't the guards help?" Wendy asked, pointing at one near the mine.

"They say that it's more important to look out for enemy soldiers. And the only one who would go down there is afraid of spiders."

Mabel looked back at her friends, and then back to the blacksmith. "Maybe we could take care of those spiders? We have experience with them."

He thought for a moment, smiled, and nodded. "I don't want to be responsible for sending some kids to their death. Be careful down there."

"Thanks, we won't disappoint you." She gave him a thumbs up and turned toward her companions. "So, who wants to kill some spiders?"

Dipper stepped forward. "I am. Can't let my sister go alone."

"I'm coming too."

"And you Pacifica? Want to help us?" Mabel asked, and everyone turned to look at her.

She laughed for a moment, and then got serious. "What? Against giant Spiders? No! Do I look like animal control?"

Dipper gave her an annoyed look. "Can you at least stand guard at the entrance to make sure nothing escapes."

She nodded. "That, I can do."

Thus Wendy, Dipper and Mabel went into the mine, while Pacifica guarded the entrance. She leaned against the smelter at the entrance, and noticed that it was completely cold. The mine really hasn't been used for some time, which made her wonder how long the spiders have already been down there. After two minutes, it got boring, and she began to whistle. After ten minutes, the three came back, covered in green blood.

"Whoa." She stared at them for a second. "What happened down there?"

"Spiders. A lot of them." Mabel deadpanned.

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "How big were they?"

"The biggest one was, I don't know, the size of a small car." Wendy tried to show it's size with her arms. "And when we killed it, hundreds of tiny spiders crawled out from under its belly, so me and Dipper got the hell out of there."

Mabel turned around. "Yeah, thanks for leaving me down there." It wasn't hard to see that the girl was pissed.

"Hey, you have the flamethrower. With my sword, I'd still be there tomorrow. Oh, and they were disgusting as hell." Wendy defended herself.

"I'm with her on that one." Dipper pointed at Wendy with his thumb.

"Can we get our reward now?" Pacifica asked. She was already bored of the conversation and just wanted to get out of the town.

The others shrugged. "Sure."

They got back to the blacksmith, who thanked them and gave them a big amount of gold. At first, Mabel didn't want to take it. It were just spiders after all, but then again, they had saved the town, so a bog reward was probably fair. And still, it was one hell of a paycheck.

"Wow. We are now officialy rich." Mabel squeeled. "Maybe I can buy a pony! A glowing one!"

"What would you do with a pony?" Her brother asked.

"Ride it into battle of course."

"Into battle? A pony?"

"Mh-hm."

Dipper sighed. A mount wouldn't be a bad idea, sure, but it should be something stronger than a pony. Personally, he thought that a dragon would be the best idea, but duobted that this was even possible.

"Can we get going? Windhelm is still a long way." Wendy pointed out, and looked into the sky, to see where the sun was. "And it's already 12am. Roughly." She narrowed her eyes, as she saw something in the air. "Is that a bird? Or a..."

A loud roar echoed across the town.

"Oh no..." Dipper muttered.

Wendy saw the thing in the sky coming closer, and realised what it actually was. "Dragon!" She yelled.

"What?" Pacifica screamed.

The lizard came closer, and landed on the roof of a house across of the smithy. He looked around, and locked his sight on the group.

 _"DOHVAKIIN! AG AHRK OBLAAN!"_

The Guards drew their bows, just like Dipper did. Wendy pulled out her ax, and Mabel readied her spells.

"Y- You are crazy, you k- know that?" Pacifica said and began to take cover behind a pillar.

"We can't just leave the town to fight for itself." Mabel said, already aiming at the sky. "Also, maybe you shouldn't take cover behind wood."

 _"Why?"_

 _"TOR SHUL!"_

Fire escaped his mouth, setting the area between the houses on fire. "Oh. Alright." Pacifica ran out of her cover, and ran toward the mine.

Dipper waited until the dragon stood still, and shot an arrow, hitting it in the underside.

Mabel hit it with some lightning bolts, hoping that it's firebreath needed Magicka too.

"What the heck? What did you just do?" Pacifica asked her. She had taken cover behind the grinding stone of the smithy.

"It's called Magic. Out of the way!" she tackled her, and both rolled a couple of meters towards the mine. The firebreath hit the blacksmith's house, and set it ablaze. Two arrows from the guards hit it's wings, ripping holes into the skin. As she got up, Mabel noticed that some of the townsfolk had gathered buckets full of water to take out the fire. Due to the fact that the next patch of water was at Riften, Mabel guessed that they had them in stock, in case something like that would happen.

 _"FUS RO!"_ Dipper shouted.

The dragon shrugged it off, as if it was just a breeze, and flapped it wings. This created a strong wind, which whirled dust into the air. The dirt made it hard to see for a second, and the dragon itself used a shout. _"TOOR SHUL!"_

The fire embarked nearly all of the area in front of the mine, turning it into an inferno. The dragon closed in to one of the guards, and picked him up with his claws, only to swallow the poor soul with one bite. More arrows hit it, and pierced it's scales. The dragon cried out in pain, and stopped moving. It looked towards Mabel and Pacifica, and began to breathe fire again. " _TOR SHUL!"_ Mabel created a Magic ward before her, blocking the fire. The fire stopped just as her Magicka went out, and she took a swig from a potion.

"Wait, where's Wendy?" Dipper yelled over. He used his arm to wipe the dust out of his face.

Mabel looked around, and saw that said redhead had climbed on top of the building that was closest to the dragon. She held up her ax, and tried to jump on top of the dragon. The monster, however, noticed her and moved a bit to the side, causing Wendy to land on the ground face first, all of her limbs stretched out.

Dipper was worried. "Are you okay?" As response, he received a thumbs up.

The dragon looked around, and locked it's sight at Pacifica. He let out a roar, and closed in on her. Before anyone could realise what was going on, it grabbed her and fled toward the north.

Dipper and Mabel could only watch the dragon fly off.

"Pacifica..." Dipper muttered. He couldn't believe what just happened.

"Is... is she gone?" Mabel asked, more herself than anyone else.

Wendy joined them. "Hey, why the long faces?" She looked around, and noticed who was missing. "Wait, where's Pacifica?"

"The dragon. It took her." Dipper's voice was dry.

"What?" Wendy looked into the same direction the two did. "We have to do something."

"What can we do? We have no idea where the thing went. Even if we find it, he probably ate her already." Dipper ranted.

"If I may." One of the two surviving guards said. "You said the monster took someone?"

"Yeah, it took our friend. We want to save her, but don't know where she is." Mabel explained.

The guard went to the other guard, and they talked for a couple of seconds, before he returned. "I think we know where it went."

"Where?" Dipper asked. He had already given up, but this gave him a little bit of hope.

"North of here is a small mountain, with northern ruins on top." The guard pointed into the direction. "Normally, no one pays attention to it. But recently, travellers said that they saw a dragon circling around the peak."

The friends looked at each other. It wasn't much of a lead, but better than nothing. They couldn't just let Pacifica die. And even if she was dead, there was nothing better than a bit of revenge.

* * *

North of the town, at the crater-like peak of Bonestrewn Crest, a screaming girl fell from the sky, and stopped as her collar got stuck on the branch of a tree. She continued screaming for a solid minute, before she realised that she not only stopped falling, but was also free from the dragon's fangs. Pacifica looked around. There was only one way into the crater, and it looked to be dotted with elephant bones. Close to her stood a curved wall, with strange signs on it.

Pacifica started to think about how to get down, when she looked up and saw the dragon coming closer. The girl was beginning to think about how she would die. Would the dragon burn her? Or just eat her? To her surpsrise, the only thing she heard was a loud thud, as the dragon landed on the wall.

It just starred at her, and she starred back. Their looks were locked at each other for what seemed like an eternity, before Pacifica spoke up.

"What do you want from me? I'm hanging here, I can do nothing. Why won't you just eat me?"

 _"BECAUSE I NEED YOU."_ The dragon answered.

The blonde was baffled. "You... You can talk? But- But you are an animal."

 _"DESPITE WHAT WE LOOK LIKE, WE DOV ARE NOT DUMB RAAN, ANIMALS. ALL OF US HAVE THE GIFT OF TINVAAK."_

Pacifica calmed herself, and tried to concentrate on the current situation. "Alright. I'm speaking with a dragon. At least I've got something to talk about back home." She muttered. "Wait, what do you need me for?"

 _"YOU JOOR ALL HAVE A CRIPPLING WEAKNESS."_ The reptile answered. The Voice of the monster was deep, which led her to believe that it was male. _"YOU CARE TO MUCH ABOUT EACH OTHER. ENOUGH THAT TWO DRAGONBORN WOULD COME TO THE PEAK OF A MOUNTAIN AND FIGHT A DOV TO RESCUE THEIR COMPANION."_

The realisation hit Pacifica like a truck. "You're using me as bait."

 _"YOU ARE CLEVERER THAN YOU LOOK."_

Ignoring the insult, the blonde had to think of something. She knew the twins would come here, and walk right into the trap. After thinking a bit, she came to the conclusion that there was only one way to help them. If she's try to run, the dragon would just get her back. But if she continued a conversation with the monster, maybe it could distract him enough to not notice her friends.

* * *

"Alright, I spoke with the other guard. We are coming with you. As long as this dragon roams this area, no one is safe." One of the guards told them.

"Thanks. Can you lead us to that mountain, then?" Dipper asked. While the guards spoke about the dragon, the three helped with cleaning up the mess the attack left behind. The fire on the smithy was extinguished, and most of the rubble left from the attack was cleaned up.

"Of course." They followed him to the guard. "It's not to far away, actually." As they regrouped with the guard, she looked at the kids.

"Those three are the help you were talking about?" The female guard was in a bad mood.

Luckily, the other guard tried to defend them. "I know, it might not seem like much, but they said that they have experience with them. Besides, don't you want to get revenge for Erldur?"

The trio guessed that Erldur was the guard that got eaten. None of them had payed much thought to it, until now. At least it seemed like a fast death.

The guard grunted and sighed. "Fine. But if something happens to them, it's your fault." She looked over to one of the citizens, and orc. "Grogmar? Get word to Fort Greenwall. Ask them to sent another guard here, and if they ask why, explain that we are going to take down this fucking dragon." She yelled. Dipper and Mabel cringed a bit at her cursing. The orc nodded, and left the town.

With that cleared up, the five set out to Bonestrewn Crest. The way led them down into a valley and along a cliff, which enabled them to see the hot springs. The ground around them was pale, like it was covered in ash. In the area, one mountain stuck out.

"This is Bonestrewn Crest." The male guard mentioned.

They approached it slowly, and began to keep quiet as the went up to the peak. If they could get the drop on the beast, it would make the fight a lot easier. After they arrived at the peak, all of them took cover behind a couple of rocks, and looked around.

"There she is!" Mabel whispered, and pointed at the tree near a nord wall.

"And there is a Shout." Dipper added. Mabel looked down, and saw the word wall. And on it sat the dragon. It almost looked like the thing was talking with Pacifica.

"Okay, how are we going to do this." The female guard asked.

All of them thought for a moment. Finally, Dipper spoke up. "Maybe we can try to shoot it's eye."

"Could work." The guards drew their bows, and took aim. Dipper did the same, and started to count down from three.

"Three. Two. One. Go!" Three arrows flew at the dragon, and two of them hit the eye of the monster. The other one scratched the side of it's head.

The dragon roared, and took off. _"YOL TOOR!"_ Fire engulfed the way down the mountain, locking all of them on top.

"Everyone! Spread out! We're not going to loose this fight." The male guard yelled, and his companions all ran into a different direction.

Mabel shot a couple of Lightning bolts at the dragon, but they didn't seem to do much.

 _"FUS ROH DA!"_

The Shout of the dragon hit her, and send her flying back, right into a rock. She felt all the air leaving her lungs at the impact, and fell on the ground.

"Mabel!" Dipper screamed, and ran toward her. The dragon, however, landed between them. He tried to bite him, but Dipper jumped out of the way in the last moment. He tried to shoot him, but didn't have enought time to draw the arrow. He had to dodge again, and hoped the dragon wouldn't use a Shout now.

The girl got up, holding her back, and used her healing shout to repair the damage. She clenched her teeth as she felt her bones cracking back into place. It did hurt, but wasn't so bad that it would cause her to scream. An nice side-effect of the spell. She looked up, and saw that the tail of the dragon was above her, about to strike down. She jumped to the side, and the tail hit the ground. Dust filled the air, and the dragon began to swing it's tail around. Mabel ran away, knowing that one hit with it would break her bones. Again. Wendy, however, used the possibility and jumped on it, and the male guard did the same. As they grabbed it, the monster took of again, and both nearly lost their grip. Wendy could just hold on to herself with one hand, but the guard wasn't as lucky. He fell, but Wendy managed to grab his hand with her free one. The dragon, once again, swung his tail around to shake them off. Unfortunately, that also meant he had a bit of a problem controlling his flight.

It screamed in pain, as two arrows pierced its wings, and it stopped mid-air. The dragon looked at the two attackers, the female guard and Dipper.

 _"HI FEN AG, MED HI DREY ERUVOS VOD! YOL TOOR SHUL!"_

Both jumped out of the way, as the ground was set on fire. Dipper had to think. They couldn't take him out like that. He looked around, and saw that the guard took cover behind a rock. Then he had an idea.

"Mabel!" His sister looked at him, and he ran to her. "Can you give me your grappling hook?"

"Why?"

He put an hand on her shoulder. "Trust me."

She nodded, and pulled the hook out of the bag. "Here."

Dipper ran to one of the cliffs, and looked at Wendy, who was beginning to climb on the dragon. She helped the guard that was hanging there with her, and together they made their way across the monster's back.

"Hey!" Dipper yelled at the female guard, who was trying to shoot an arrow at the dragon.

"What?" She was under stress, that much was clear.

"I've got a plan." He stepped up next to her, and explained his plan. She agreed to help him.

Meanwhile, Mabel was distracting the dragon. She shot Lightning Bolt after Lightning Bolt at it, and occassionaly drank an Magicka potion. Wendy and the guard finally made their way to the beast's head, and took their swords. As they tried to stab the monster in the head, it stopped flying, and they were thrown off. They landed hard on the ground, and Mabel came to their side with two healing potions. The group looked around, amd saw the reason why the monster stopped. Dipper had used the Grappling hook to grab a branch sticking out of a cliff, and was hanging a couple of meters above the ground.

"Hey, come and get me, you giant lizard!" He yelled.

"He's so dead." The guard deadpanned, receiving glares from the girls.

" _DOVHAKIIN, IT IS GOING TO BE AN HONOR TO KILL YOU!"_ The dragon charged at Dipper, who waited till the last moment.

"Now!" The female guard took aim, and shot an arrow into the dragon's throat. It roared in pain, and the dragonborn detached the hook from the branch. The monster crashed into the cliff, and fell to the ground. Rocks and dust rained down upon him. Dipper jumped out of the way, and his companions came to his aid. The guards and Wendy took their swords, and stabbed them into the dragon's head. And again, just to make sure.

 _"ALDUIN, FORGIVE ME!"_ The dragon shouted, as his body stopped moving.

The group cheered, and triumphantly held their weapons into the air. Suddenly, the dragon's hide and flesh began to glow, and his sould was absorbed by Dipper and Mabel.

The guards looked at the twins, trying to comprehend what just happened. "You two are dragonborn." The female guard said.

"Yes, yes we are." Mabel said with proudness in her voice.

The guards put their fists on their chests. "That means the rumors were true. We have a chance."

"What do you-" Dipper was interrupted by a voice from above.

"Guys!" All looked up, and noticed that they nearly forgot something. "Can you please get me down from here now?"

"Right. Mabel? Can you get her down? I'm gonna check out that wall." Dipper said. His sister nodded, and he gave her the grappling hook back. While she was using it to get the blonde back down, he ran up to the wall. Instantly, one of the words began to glow, and embarked itself into his mind.

 _ **Fo-Frost**_

"A Frost shout?" He said to himself. The dragonborn looked at one of the skeletons that layed around, and used it.

 _"FO!"_

A cloud of Ice came out of his mouth, and caused a thin layer of ice around the surface. This wouldn't freeze anyone, but the shock from the cold should be more than enough. Still, it also left his mouth cold and dry. "Nice."

He looked around, and saw Wendy. She and the guards helped Pacifica and Mabel to get down safely, and the Northwest dusted herself off.

"You three have a lot of explaining to do." She said, looking at the twins in particular.

"Okay, here's the short version. They can absorb the souls of dragons, and Mabel can use magic." Wendy explained. "Just deal with it."

Pacifica raised an eyebrow. It was obvious that she didn't believe them. "Right. And you are useful against a dragon."

"Hey!" Wendy yelled. "It's not my fault those damn things never land." She crossed her arms. "And in case you wanna know, when they do, they are in for a beating." She calmed down, and collected her thoughts. "Though, something more ranged wouldn't be that bad either."

"We can always get you a bow." Dipper suggested. He took out the first bottle he found in their bag, which was a Stamina potion, and drank it. The boy felt his mouth getting warmer again.

"Nah. I meant something like a Rocket Launcher."

"That... that would be useful." Mabel thought about it, and how much damage one rocket could do to a dragon.

"What's an Rocket Launcher?" The female guard asked them.

The four turned around. They almost forgot that the guards were still there. "Uhm, it's like, ugh, a tube that shoots fireballs." Wendy said, hoping that the guards would get a rough understanding out of it.

"Like a staff?"

"Yeah, only more powerful." Dipper said. "So... Thanks for helping us out."

The guards shook hands with the children. "No problem. We have sworn to keep the citizens of Skyrim safe. In the name of Shor, and Jarl Ulfric."

Dipper, Mabel and Wendy remembered that the eastern part of Skyrim was occupied by the Stormcloaks. And it seems like Ulfric made it out of Helgen alive. On one hand, they were glad he survived. Then again, this also meant the Civil war was going to continue, and many more lives would be lost. Especially now, that the dragons reappeared. For some reason, they also felt that one thing had to do with the other. Afterall, the dragons appeared just as Ulfric was about to be executed, which would have caused the war to be won.

"And it was an honor for us to fight alongside the dragonborn." One of the guards said. "Now, we have to get back to Shor's Stone, make sure everything is alright. You are going to Windhelm, aren't you?"

Pacifica shrugged. "Yes, why?"

"Can you get word to Ulfric that the dragon is slain? Surely he would like to know that."

That was an important piece of information there. Ulfric lived in Windhelm, which meant they could meet him, catch up, and ask if he knows anything about the dragons.

"We'll do it. Thanks."

"We have to thank." The female guard replied, and the thwo left the peak of the moutain.

"Alright." Mabel said. "Let's look into this chest and get going." She pointed at a large chest, standing close to the Word wall.

They approached it, and opened the chest. Inside was gold, a couple of gems and a ancient nord helmet. The friends left the helmet, since Wendy's fresh one would be more sturdy. "So, did anyone notice the last words of the dragon?" Wendy asked.

"You mean the whole 'Alduin, forgive me?'" Mabel put the last gem, a ruby, into their bag.

Wendy nodded. "Wasn't this Alduin mentioned on the way to High Hrothgar."

The twins thought for a second, and it came back to them. "You're right." Dipper said. "Maybe he's, like, a leader of the dragons?"

"Possible. Hey, Pacifica, do you have an idea?" Mabel yelled over. The blonde was starring at the skeleton of the monster.

Her eyes widened, as if she was scared by the question. "Why are you asking me? I just joined your group. And that was the first time I ever saw one of those things. And talked to one."

"Hold up, you talked to it, him." Dipper asked.

"Yes, I did."

"Did he say something useful?" Wendy closed the chest behind her.

Pacifica made an 'eh, I dunno' gesture. "Only the standard crap. That their kind is superior to us mortals, that dragons will rule Nirn once again. All of that stuff."

"Yeah, that's nothing new." Wendy replied. "By the way." She ran over to the carcass, and up to the spine. A couple of scales were left there, and she stuck her sword between one of the scales and the spine. "Come on, help me."

The three came to her help, and together they managed to rip off one of the scales, and Wendy held it up. It was pretty heavy, but would still fit into their bag. They just had put a bit of pressure on it.

"Why are you taking this with you?" Pacifica asked, seriously confused.

"The courtwizard in Whiterun is investigating dragons. I'm sure he would appreciate a scale from one."

"So, it's a gift?"

Wendy closed the bag. "Gift? I hope he'll give us something for it. Now, we got a tight schedule. Let's go."

Her friends nodded, and they went down the mountain. On the way down, Mabel mentioned that they'd have to buy some potions in Windhelm. The fight costes them their last healing potions, and there was only on for Magicka left. Not to forget material for sweaters, especially since they would enter the really cold parts of Skyrim soon.

* * *

In the daedric plane of Apocrypha, Miraak felt how the dragonborn absorbed the soul of a dragon. He knew the place it happened. He could feel it. Not to long, and he should be able to intervene, and claim the souls of fallen dragons for himself. But for now, he'd have to rely on his henchmen. Using a spell he found in the infinite libraries of Apcrypha, he opened a small, dimensional tear to his allies. It would only be able to transport sound, but it would be more than enough.

"Oh, hey Master." Assorn greeted him.

"Assorn, Tolgan. Did you find the dragonborn?"

"Well, not really. But we are on to them. A couple of children told us that they went to Solitude. Although the road was blocked, so we have to got around. Appearently some towers collapsed along the way."

"Wha- Solitude? They are in Eastmarch, you morons." Miraak was getting angry again.

"Oh, uhm. Alright. You know where exactly?"

"I think Bonestrewn Crest. Get there now and get me those so-called "heroes"." The words of their master were clear.

"Will do. You can count on us." Tolgan replied, and saluted.

"Hmph. I hope so." Miraak closed the connection, and shook his head.

"I don't understand why you send those two."

He looked around, and was surprised. Miraak didn't even notice that everything around him went gray, so much did his two henchmen annoy him right now. "On one hand, they could bring me the dragonborn. Or they die. Either way, I win." He answered, without even looking his ally in the eye.

"Wow. You're cruel." The demon deadpanned, and made a handgun at Miraak. "I like that. Now, about our plan..."

"Yes, yes. Everything's going according to plan. Herma Mora doesn't know a thing." Behind his mask, Miraak rolled his eyes. The demon had asked the same question since the day the two started to work together.

"I hope so. For yours sake, of course."

This surprised Miraak. "You aren't afraid of a Daedric Prince?"

The triangle leaned back. "Tsk. Defeating a Daedra would be like crushing a bug."

Miraak was glad. Cipher really seemed powerful, one of the reasons he chose to help him. "Is there anything else you want to discuss, or do you just want to waste my time?"

"No, not really. Just wanted to check up. Now if you excuse me, I have to make some deals, screw people over mentally." The demon put a hand on his 'chin'. "Maybe I'll set a puppy on fire. Until next time." Bill disappeared, and everything went back to normal.

Miraak held his head. His conversations with Bill always gave him a hell of a headache. The ground shook, as one of his dragons, Relonikiv, landed behind him. "Relonikiv, bring me into the dephts of the library. I have to find something."

 _"OF COURSE, MIRAAK."_

He climbed on the back of the dragon, and they flew to one of the oldest parts of Apocrypha. Miraak couldn't shake off the feel that something is wrong with Bill. He had to have a fall-back plan.

* * *

 **And we've got a new longest chapter. I want to try to keep the chapters around this length from now on.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	17. Windhelm

Chapter 17: Windhelm

The closer the group came to Windhelm, the colder it got. The hot springs of Eastmarch ended, and the ground began to be covered in snow. Luckily, Windhelm wasn't to far away. Before they could enter the headquarters of the Stormcloak rebellion, they passed a couple of stables, and a gigantic stonebridge. The city was built out of dark, nearly black, cold bricks. Other than in Riften, they guards let them in without any problems.

The first thing they noticed after entering was a big building. A sign hanging on its wall revealed it to be the Inn. However, next to it, three people were arguing. Two of them were Nords, and one a female darkelf.

"You come here where you're not wanted, you eat our food, you pollute our city with your stink and you refuse to help the Stormcloaks." One of the two man yelled.

"But we haven't taken a side because it's not our fight." The female Darkelf answered him.

The four decided to listen to the conversation.

"Hey, maybe the reason these gray-skins don't help in the war is because they're Imperial spies!" The second man said, bumping his friend in the side.

"Imperial Spies? You can't be serious!" The Darkelf replied, and crossed her arms.

"Maybe we will pay you a visit tonight, little spy. We got ways of finding out what you really are." The man left, and the Dunmer just sighed.

The four shrugged, and wanted to talk to her. "Hey? Everything okay?" Mabel asked.

The Dunmer turned around and looked at the four. "Yes little girl. They are just talk. Windhelm's a haven of prejudice and narrow thinking."

"Seems like it." Wendy replied. "How bad is it?"

"See, here in Windhelm, we darkelves must live in the gray quarters, a slum in the eastern parts of the city. The Argonians and Khajiit even need to stay outside of the city completely." she explained.

"That's horrible." Mabel said. "Wait, what's a Khajiit?"

"Well, you can thank the Stormcloaks for that." The Darkelf replied, ignoring Mabel's second question. She turned away, and left the group alone.

"Man, this whole Civil War thing just got a lot more complicated." Dipper said.

"Yeah. Up to that point, there only was this Concordat and religion, but now racism too?" Wendy pointed out. "I bet the next thing is going to be genocide."

"Nah, I think some sort of Conspiracy." Mabel said.

"Wanna bet on it?"

"Sure. When I win, you are going to show me how to use a shotgun once we're back home."

Wendy accepted "And when I win, you tell me how to enchant stuff."

"Deal." They shook hands.

"Honestly, I think it's better if we just don't talk about the topic." Pacifica mentioned. "We don't know anything about the reasons, or why it broke out. Best is to stay out of it completely."

Wendy nodded. "Good point. What now?"

"I'd say we are going to visit the Jarl." Dipper said, gesturing at him and his sister.

"Right. We'll visit the market." Wendy suggested.

"Ugh. Do we have to?" The blonde asked her.

"If you want to eat something on the way to Ustengrav, then yes." The redhead left, and began searching for the market.

Pacifica muttered something incomprehensible, and followed Wendy.

* * *

It wasn't hard to find out where the Jarl was. Multiple signs pointed into the direction of the palace, and even without them it wasn't hard to miss. It was build out of the same material as the rest of the city, but featured a giant, wooden gate as entrance. The guards let them through, after the two explained what they wanted.

The inside of the palace looked a lot less fancy then Dragonsreach. There was only one, big table with food on it, and a couple of hallways going out of the main hall. At the end of the room stood the throne of Ulfric, with him on it. Next to him was another man, probably his assistant. He wore a bear fur over his body, which made him look like an experienced warrior. And they had no doubt that he was. Other than that, the main hall was empty.

It took some moments, before the Jarl realised that the two stood there. He waved them to him, and they approached. Like in Whiterun, they bowed before him.

"I was never visited by two children." He narrowed his eyes. "Wait, you seem familiar..."

"Remember Helgen?" Dipper answered shortly, and looked up.

"Right. You were the 'Daedra', destined for the chopping block. Glad to see that you made it out alive."

"No thanks to you." Dipper muttered, quiet enough that the Jarl wouldn't be able to hear it. Mabel heard it though, but decided to not say anything. She didn't agree entirely with him in this matter, but had to admit that the Empire took better care of keeping them safe than the Stormcloaks. Still, they hadn't tried to chop off her head.

"I'm sorry. I think we all had other things to worry about in that situation. I had to lead my soldiers to safety." Ulfric defended himself. "And I send Ralof to look for you. You know what happened to him?"

"Uhm... Good question." Dipper muttered. He hadn't really thought about it, but guessed that Ralof got eaten.

"How many did you save?" Mabel asked.

His assistent grunted. "Not many. The damn dragon got most of them before it decided to concentrate on the empire."

Ulfric tried to calm his friend down. "Galmar, please." After the assistant calmed down, the Jarl turned back to face the twins. "You two wouldn't know if the empire took the monster down?"

"As far as we know, the dragon survived. However, the dragons are kinda the reason why we're here." Dipper replied, and he got up again.

"Oh, why's that." Ulfric put his hand on his chin, which was covered by a brown beard.

"We wanted to know if you know anything about the dragons." Mabel got back up too. "Oh, and the dragon at Bonestrewn Crest is dead."

"That are fantastic news." The Jarl stood up, and began walking in a line from left to right. "Sadly, we don't know anything about them. The scout teams I sent out found nothing, except for their empty graves."

"So, you think that someone resurected them?" Dipper was a bit excited. Maybe they could finally figure out what was up with the dragons.

"It's a possibility, yes. But without more evidence, we won't be able to know for sure. Of course, there are spells that can resurect beings, but not in the way the dragons would be. They are basically the same beings as they were thousands of years ago. Undead are normally brainless."

"Magic never brought good to us." Galmar commented. "Winterhold is the best example of that." He didn't notice, but Mabel stared daggers at him.

"Ugh. Bummer. We hoped you found something." Dipper almost wanted to turn around, but then he remembered a little something that was mentioned in Helgen. "Wait. Back at Helgen, they said you shouted the High-King to death?" Mabel's eyes turned wide. She already forgot that.

"Not entirely true, though not entirely false either." Ulfric clarified, and stopped walking around. "Any Nord can learn the Way of the Voice by studying with the Greybeards, given enough ambition and dedication. My shouting Torygg to the ground proved he had neither. However, it was my sword piercing his heart that killed him." He looked back at the twins, and noticed the excited looks they gave him. "Are you alright?"

"Dipper? Should we tell him?"

"I don't think it would hurt" The twins looked at the ceiling, and opened their mouths.

 _"FUS RO!"_

Dust came down from the area the shout hit, and the two man were completely speechless. "You... You have the Voice?" Ulfric said, trying to find words. "But you are children. That must mean you are... you are the dragonborn."

"Guilty." Mabel replied, and smirked a bit. There was a certain pride to being recognized like that.

"It's an honor to have you here." Ulfric said, putting his fist over his heart.

"Thanks. But don't tell anyone. We don't want anyone to know who isn't trustworthy." Dipper said.

"Of course. Can I help you in any way?" The Jarl asked.

"Yeah, kinda." Dipper replied. When there's one thing he wanted right now, it was answers. "Is there a reason you killed the High-King? I mean, that sounds like treason."

The Jarl let out a sigh. "I killed Torygg to prove our wretched condition. How is the High-King supposed to be the defender of Skyrim, if he can't even defend himself?"

"I hate to admit it, but he has somewhat of a point." Mabel said, receiving glares from her brother.

"Are you kidding me? That was murder. He literally stabbed him."

Ulfric sat down again. "I challenged him in the traditional way, and he accepted. There were many witnesses. No 'murder' was commited. True, he didn't stand a chance against me. But that was presicely the point! He was a puppet-king of the Empire, not a High-King of Skyrim. His father before him, perhaps, but not Torygg. He was too privilieged and foolish, more interested in entertaining his queen than ruling this country."

"To me, it sounds like you simply tried to take over Skyrim, and it didn't work out. And now you try to find excuses to make yourself feel better." Dipper said. Judging by the Jarl's expression, he hit a nerve. Either he was right, or this was an often asked question.

"That's ridiculous." Ulfric deapanned.

"Yeah? Why are you fighting this Civil war then?" The boy spread his arms from his body. "Why all of this?"

"We're fighting because we're done bleeding for an Empire that won't bleed for us."

Mabel finally decided to drop back into the discussion. "So, it's about driving the Empire out of Skyrim?"

"Exactly. They had our land in their grasp for long enough. They have ruled out the worship of Talos, taken away our honor and dignity." Galmar answered.

"Honestly, it sounds like you're the good guys." Mabel said.

"Uhm, Mabel? You heard what you just said? We don't haven't even heard the Empire's side." Dipper suggested.

Mabel thought for a second. "You're right."

"Anything else you two want to know?" The Jarl asked. It seemed like he was tired of discussions about the Civil War.

"Well, you mentioned the Greybeards. Let me guess, you tried to become one of them?" Dipper was happy about the change in the conversation. Neither he, or his sister, knew enough about the politics in this world to really speak about the whole thing. Especially if it was with a Jarl.

"That's right."

"Do you know Arngeir?" Mabel asked. She just wanted to know how long ago that was, to get a rough grip on the events.

"Of course. He was my teacher. The oldest and most powerful Greybeard, yet he may not seem so. I doubt he's forgiven me for leaving. And for... well, for what he'd consider blasphemy. Using Shouts for anything but worshipping Kynareth." The Jarl looked like he was a bit melancholic about his time at High Hrothgar.

"Wait a moment. They don't want us to Shout? Why are they teaching us then?" Mabel asked, seriously confused.

"You're Dragonborn. The rules don't apply to you. You can shout the way dragons do... without training, through inborn instinct. They always hope to teach the Dragonborn to respect the Way of the Voice as they do. They never fully succeed. You two have to make your own desicion. It's a beautiful philophy, but outside the seclusion of High-Hrothgar, I was never able to hold on to it."

"Don't worry. I'm sure neither me or my brother want to spend the rest of our life on top of a freezing moutain." Mabel said. "And what can you breathe fire for, if not to burn something down."

Dipper smiled, and nodded. However, he also began to think. If they managed to get home, how would the things they've been through affect them. The magic, the Shouts. He shook off the thought. There were more important things now.

* * *

After searching it for a bit, Wendy and Pacifica finally found the market. Although it wasn't as big as in Whiterun, it still had everything one would need. Stands sold weapons, armor, food and pelts. A building was home to a place called 'The White Phial', and a blacksmith was working on armor and weapons at the local smithy. A young woman helped him with his work.

Wendy pulled out a note the twins wrote. On it was everything they'd need.

"What's first?" Pacifica looked around. The market wasn't as crowded as she would have thought. Probably due to the late time.

"Arrows." Wendy read out loud. "Around fifteen."

The two started to walk over the market. "Any idea where to find them?"

"Well, in Whiterun we got some from a hunting shop. I'd guess a blacksmith would have some too."

They walked over to said place, and were instantly greeted by the smith. He stood up from the ground he kneed on, and cleaned his hands with a small towel. "I guess you want to buy something?"

Both shrugged. "Do you have any arrows?"

"Sure. Which ones do you want?" He gestured to his assistant, who went to the metal he was working on, and continued working on it for him.

"Which ones do you have?"

"I have arrows made out of the finest steel you can find in Skyrim. Except maybe for the Skyforge in Whiterun. I also got some in stock from travellers, in case you want something more exotic."

Wendy raised an eyebrow. She remembered the Skyforge. "Is there something special about the Skyforge?"

"Of course. Something about the fires... their steel just holds tighter. Some say the forge was there before man settled in Tamriel."

That peaked Wendy's interest. Not only was the Skyforge appearently some kind of magical artifact, but it seemed like mankind in this world did not evolve on Tamriel. For a short moment, the idea appeared in her head that humans maybe came from their world, the same way she and her friends did. However, it would have been a massive event, considering that their species had survived here for thousands of years. Still, it wasn't an uninteresting topic, and maybe something worth looking into.

"Can you show us the arrows?" Pacifica tried to get back to what they were here for.

The smith nodded, and went inside the house. A short time later, he came back out again, bringing a couple of arrows with him. There were four different types. He handed them the first version. This one had a golden color, not too different from Dipper's bow.

"Is this arrow made out of gold?" Wendy asked.

The smith let out a small chuckle. "No, no. Those arrows were smithed by the ancient dwarves. Made out of their own, strong alloy. Sadly, no one today knows how to reproduce their weapons, or metal. Going into their old cities is the only way to get equipment. Or material."

"Ancient?" Pacifica asked. "Are dwarves extinct?"

"Oh yes. For thousands of years. Although, I've heard rumors of one survivng dwarf over in Morrowind."

Wendy put it to the side, and the smith gave her the next one, which was seemingly made out of green glass. "This one is made out of Malachite. It's normally used by elves, but packs a punch."

"Looks fragile." Pacifica pointed out.

"Don't let the looks irritate you, child. Malachite is much stronger than the regular glass you find in houses."

"And the other two?" Wendy gave it back, and took the next version. This was pretty much the kind of arrow the Draugr used. The last arrow was a normal steel arrow. After thinking for a bit, the decided to buy some dwarven, and a couple of steel arrows. Thus, they could cross out the arrows on the list. Next thing to get was material for sweaters.

This could pose a bit of a problem. They hadn't seen a shop for general goods yet, unlike Whiterun. The two decided to ask someone for a direction. After looking around, their sight fell on a guard that was patrolling the area. The girls approached him.

"Hey."

He sighed. "Let me guess... someone stole your sweetroll?"

"Uhm, no." Wendy wondered if that was a common crime here. "We wanted to know... Is there somewhere we can buy things like wool?" Wendy asked.

The guard thought for a moment. "Your best bet is the docks, maybe the stables outside the city, if a carawan of the Khajiit is there that is."

"Thanks. Is there one?"

"If there is, I didn't hear of it. Best you go to the docks." He pointed into the direction of the city entrance. "To get there, just go to the other side of the city. It's near the grey quarters. The big gate should be hard to miss." The guard walked away, and the two decided to do that later, so that they wouldn't have to go across the whole city multiple times.

Next on the list were potions. The two made their way into the White Phial. To their surprise, no one was at the counter, but they could hear coughing from upstairs. Wendy instantly ran up, followed by Pacifica. They saw two people, one of which was in a bed, and the one coughing. The other one sat next to him, and was way younger. He noticed them, and turned around.

"You two. Are you travellers?" He sounded excited.

None of them knew what to say, and simply nodded.

"Great. Has any of you heard of the White Phial?" He stood up, and got closer to them.

"Sure. It's the name of this shop, isn't it?" Pacifica answered.

"Yes, and no." He walked over to a drawer, and grabbed a couple of white shards. "This is the White Phial. Seeing it... it was the biggest dream of my master." He gestured to the man dying on the bed. "We tasked a mercenary to get it for us, but he brought it back damaged. He himself didn't survive, considering that my letters never reached him."

Wendy looked over to the bed. "What's with him?"

The man looked at the ground. "He's... He's ill. Deathly ill."

"Can't you just give him a potion that heals that sort of stuff?" Wendy asked.

The man sighed. "There are some deseases that can't be cured with potions." He reached his hand out. "My name is Quintus, by the way. I have a request for you. See, I want my master to see the Phial repaired before he passes. But that task will be impossible without the right ingrediants."

"Let me guess. You are asking us to collect them?" Wendy replied.

"If it's okay for you."

"Sure. Do you have any paper to write it down?"

He nodded, and quickly grabbed a bit of paper and a feather with some ink. Wendy sat down, and got ready to write. "First, we need a patch of unmelting snow."

"Unmelding snow?" Pacifica asked. She was still sceptical of most magic.

"Right. On the top of the Throat of the World is a patch of it. No heat can touch it." Quintus explained.

"Of course it can't." Wendy replied while writing it down. "There isn't any heat up there to begin with."

"Well, it's said that this snow was taught by the Greybeard to ignore the sun. We'll only be a small bit of it for the repairs." The alchemist replied. He seemed to be a little bit hurt about Wendy's remark.

"Alright. We'll look out for it. What else do we need?"

"The tusk of a mammoth, gr-"

"Mammoth?" Pacifica interrupted in shock. "Like, a wooly elephant?"

"Yeah. We've already met a sabertooth. Mammoths aren't to hard to believe. Especially in this enviromnent." It sounded like Wendy already got used to these things.

The blonde put her head in her hand. "This world is getting weirder and weirder."

"Like I said, the ground up tusk of a mammoth. You'll have to steal it from some giants, as only they know how to grind it down."

Wendy wrote the ingrediant down. She had to admit, writing with a feather was harder than using a pencil. "Okay..."

"The last ingrediant is a bit tricky. We'll need the briar heart of a Forsworn of the Reach."

Wendy and Pacifica looked both confused and terrified. "A-Are you asking us to literally rip someone's heart out?"

"Basically. But it's a bit more complicated than that. See, the Briar Hearts aren't real hearts. They are some sort of plant, I think, and are used by creatures called Hagravens to resurrect dead Forsworn."

"So, they are undead?" Wendy began to understand it. A bit at least. "I don't think it's to bad then."

"Wait, are you saying that just because they are undead, you'd be totally okay with ripping their heart out?" Pacifica asked, shocked by Wendy's sudden change of mind.

"Yeah. Who wouldn't like to kill a zombie that way." She shifted her attention back to the man. "Is that everything?"

"I can't believe you." The blonde muttered.

"It is. It shouldn't be a big problem to collect it all. Now, I'm sure you actually came here to get some potions?"

Wendy folded the note, and put it into a pocket on the side of her armor. "Right. Do you have any healing potions? And some that regenerate Magicka?"

He walked over to the stairs. "I do. Come down, I'll get them for you."

They walked back down the stairs, and waited at the counter. After a couple of minutes, the man came back, with a basket full of potions. "How many do you need?"

"I dunno. I'd say... four healing ones and five for Magicka?" He looked through the basket, and put the potions on the counter. Pacifica paid, while Wendy put them in the bag. She realised that they may would have to get either a bigger, or second one. "By the way, do you have something more special?"

"Let me see..." he sorted through his potions, and took three different ones. He gestured to the first one, a yellow phial. "This one is an Draught of Strength. I don't think I have to explain what it does. Then there's this Draught of Destruction, which boosts your ability to cast spells of that school. And not to forget, in case you want to kill something, I also got some poisons."

Wendy thought for a bit. All of them sounded useful in their own way. Mabel could definetely use the destruction potion, while the others were more of a situational thing. The poison could be put on her weapons, or Dipper's arrows, which in turn could turn around a dangerous situation, especially against a dragon. Thus, she decided to buy the poison.

They waved goodbye, and left the shop. The only thing left was the material for Mabel's sweaters. Of course, they also needed proviant, but it was better to buy them the next morning.

"So, how do you like it here?" Pacifca asked along the way.

"Other than the constant fighting and things that want us dead? Not bad, actually. This world has some kind of charme to it. Of course I miss my family, and all the technology we have back home."

"I don't know. I haven't seen much yet besides the Orphanage. And the only time I was outside the cities, I was captured by a dragon."

"Yeah, you had a bit of a rough start. But hey, at least you didn't have to kill someone."

Pacifica stopped, and looked at the girl. "Did you kill someone?"

"Yeah. He had captured Dipper and Mabel, and was about to kill them. So I stepped in. It's a long story. But, according to the Greybeards, this is normal here. Survival of the fittest and all that."

The Northwest resumed walking. "This place gets worse the more I hear. I just wanna go home."

"Me too. Trust me. But with Dipper and Mabel being Dragonborn, the dragon stuff has a bit of priority." Wendy explaiend. They walked past the Inn.

"I still don't understand what a Dragonborn actually is. Or how it works."

"Trust me, neither do we." Wendy replied. They had given her the rundown on the way here, or at least what they knew. "You know, after all Dipper and Mabel told me about you, I don't think you're actually that bad."

Pacifica was both happy about that, and a bit angry. "Thanks. What did they tell you?"

"Just about all the times you tried to humiliate them. About how you, and your family lied about the founder of the town, and the whole deal with the ghost." Wendy explained. They walked down a couple of stairs.

"Yeah, I wasn't the best person to them." Pacifica felt a bit guilty. "I actually respect them, and their uncle."

"Really?"

She nodded. "I have a little bit of repect for everyone who starts his own business. Unless it's in competition to the one Dad has. And about the two, I think everyone who saves my life from getting choped in pieces on a golf course deserves at least some of my respect. Especially when they kill a dragon."

"Actually, I killed it. Thank you very much." They could see the big gate the guard mentioned. It was made out of wood, with metal keeping it in place. "It was Dipper's plan though."

"Right. He always has one, doesn't he?"

"Not all the time, but often." Wendy tried to open the gate, but it rarely moved. Either it was frozen, or to heavy. "Can you help me out?"

Both pushed against the gate with all their strength, and it finally opened. It revealed a staircase leading down to the docks. "You aren't to bad either." Pacifica said, as they walked down.

"Thanks."

The docks were still busy, even though the sun had already began to set. Argonians were carrying crates all over the place. None of them seemed happy, or energetic, and after their talk with the darkelf, both instantly knew that the lizard were casted out here, to work on the docks. The girls wondered if the argonians were here because of the lack of a better alternative, or were kept here as some kind of slave workers. Either way, it was depressing. They looked around a bit, and finally found someone who sold wool and other materials. He told them that he came here from Hammerfell, which was west of Skyrim, and hated to see Argonians like that. But as long as the war was raging, there wasn't much anyone could do.

With everything in their bag, both made their way back to the Inn, to wait for the twins.

* * *

Said children were still in the castle, talking to the Jarl. To Dipper, it was pretty clear that Mabel seemed to prefer the Stormcloaks over the Empire. Not that he could blame her. After all, the Empire tried to decapitate her just a week ago. What he didn't like was how Mabel came to the conclusion after only really listening to their side.

He wanted to ask something else about the Greybeards, but a guard interrupted them as he ran into the hall. He catched his breath. "Jarl Ulfric. Another victim was found. It was Susanna, from the Candlelight Hall."

"Victim?" Dipper muttered.

"By the gods. It's the third one already." Galmar mentioned.

"Sorry, but what is that all about?" The boy asked.

The guard sighed. "There has been a series of murders lately. And we don't have any guards to investigate."

"Can you excuse us for a moment?" Dipper asked, and walked over into a corner with Mabel.

"Bro, I already know what you think."

"And? What do you say?" He looked over to the Jarl, making sure that he wasn't listening.

"I don't know. I think this isn't a job for us. Those are real murders. Not some wax statue."

"Are you kidding me? We could finally make an impact here."

Mabel raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Do you think they have any of our forensics here? Think about it. Fingerprints. DNS-Analysis. All of that stuff."

"Yeah, I don't think they even know what DNS is." Mabel looked at the table in the middle of the room. She was getting a bit hungry. "Much less that they are able to analyse it."

"But just imagine how much better they could catch criminals using fingerprints." He looked at his sister, pleading that she would agree to help him.

She gave in. "Alright." The two walked back to the Jarl, who was talking with the guard.

"We wanna help." Dipper said, surprising the three adults.

"How could you help?" Galmar asked. "You are two kids."

"Well, where we come from, we got some methods you probably don't have." Dipper was a bit proud of this fact.

Ulfric looked slightly confused. "What do you mean by 'where we come from'?"

"Uhm, yeah. That's a bit of a secret." Mabel said.

The Jarl gestured to the guard, and he left the hall. "Now you can tell me."

The two didn't know if it was a good idea to tell him. After all, the only other persons who knew about that right now were the Greybeards. And they didn't know if they could trust Ulfric. Then again, he didn't seem like a guy who would tell a secret. And having a Jarl on their side, especially the one who's leading the rebellion, wasn't a bad thing.

Dipper sighed. "We're not from Tamriel. Or from Nirn."

"What, are you saying you came from Oblivion?" The assistant of the Jarl asked.

"Not exactly. We are from another dimension. Somehow, we ended up here."

The Jarl took a moment to digest the information. "That's... interesting. And you are sure about that?"

Mabel nodded. "Yeah, we only have one moon back home, and are way more ahead of you."

"Ahead?" He leaned back in his throne.

"In technology. You wouldn't understand it anyway." Dipper explained. "Anyway, back home, when someone commits a crime, we normally look at the fingerprints on the victim, or something that was used, to determine who did it."

The Jarl thought, and then stood up. "Alright. Follow me."

"Where?"

"To our Jail. You're going to show me, and my guards, how that works."

He walked over to a door, and the twins followed him. Little did they know, this was going to be some of the most tiring hours of their life.

* * *

A couple of hours after the sun set, Wendy and Pacifica were still sitting in the Inn, waiting for the twins. In the meantime, they had eaten dinner, and asked about rooms to sleep. There wasn't one with four beds available, so they settled for two rooms with two beds each.

Finally, the door to the Inn opened, and the Pines entered. Both looked like they had just fought a troll. They sat down next to their friends.

"And, how's the Jarl?" Wendy asked.

"I wouldn't say he's a bad guy." Dipper answered. "He just has a weird view of the world. One I can't agree with."

"Is everything okay?" Pacifica took a swig from her water.

"Try to explain to those guys how you use fingerprints for investigations. For three hours." Mabel yawned. "Now I know how teachers must feel."

"If it helps, we got everything we need." Wendy said, and pulled the wool out of the bag. "Even the stuff for sweaters."

Mabel grabbed it, and went upstairs. "I'll get to work. Can one of you show me the room?"

Pacifica nodded, and followed her, leaving Dipper and Wendy alone.

"Wendy?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll ever get home?"

She spat out her drink. "Why are you asking?"

"I mean, Grunkle Ford was in another dimension thirty years, and the only reason he was able to get back was due to the portal. If this thing is the only way to switch between dimensions, how are we supposed to get back? It's not like we can build one here. Hell, Ford needed an alien energy core to power the thing."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Dude, we made it that far, didn't we? Even if we can't build the portal, we'll find a way. Even if it has to be through magic." Wendy drank the rest of her drink, and stood up. "I'm going to bed. Your room is the second to the right." She went up the stairs. Dipper sat there, alone.

Maybe she was right. He thought about the events of the last days. Dipper had a feeling that their arrival wasn't random. Two Dragonborns appeared, right as the dragons returned. There was a reason they were here, but he couldn't pin down why. But maybe, if they could find out why the dragons came back, they would find a way home.

He bought a slice of bread, ate it, and then went up the stairs, and into his room. Mabel was already done with the sweaters, and had fallen asleep.

* * *

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney  
**


	18. Ustengrav

Chapter 18: Ustengrav

Although the next day was cloudless, and the sun stood high, Pale was really cold. While the places they had visited up to his point, except for mountain tops, had been harsh, it wasn't to bad. In Pale, however, the ground felt like it consisted solely of ice and snow. And seeing as the freezing ocean wasn't that far away, at some point the ground would probably consider solely of those things. One thing they learned here was that the light armor was keeping them warmer than the heavy armor. Still, if it wasn't for Mabel's sweaters, it would be to cold. And if the cold wasn't bad enough, the occasional heavy snowstorms and rough terrain made the journey even harder.

They took a route through two mountain ranges, and then towards Morthal. They had to admit, although it wasn't the Throat of the World, the mountains looked impressive. Way to big to just pass over. There seemed to be some routes though, since they saw Nordic Ruins on top of some of them. When it got to cold, Mabel used her Flames Spell and made a little fire to warm themselves.

At one point, they found a dead body covered by snow. Judging by the robes the man was wearing, he was a Mage. They decided to look through his stuff, and found a new Spell Tome, which Mabel took immediatly. She opened it and the tome disappeared. Mabel equipped the new spell,, her hand glew purple, and she tried to cast the Spell on the ground, but nothing happened.

"Bummer."

"Maybe it was broken? Or it needs special conditions." Wendy guessed, and began to look around if the animal that killed him was still around.

"Possible. I'll ask Farengar, if I dont find out till then." She looked at her friends. "Or has anyone any suggestions?"

"What symbol was on the book?" Dipper asked. If the symbol was familiar, they could at least guess what it does.

"It looked like an _n,_ with a point in the middle."

"Yeah, I dont remember this symbol, but it definitely isn't healing, illusions or something destructive."

"So, what else is left?"

Dipper pulled out the Journal. He used some of the time they spent in Riften to write in what they learned here. He looked at some of the spells Ford had written down. "I think this one doesn't fit into the other categories." He showed them the page containing a spell to raise the death.

"You mean it's some kind of necromancy?" Pacifica asked.

"It's possible." He closed the book, and looked at Mabel. "If we find a corpse you should try it." All of them turned towards the dead mage. "Yeah, not this one. You know what happened last time we raised dead humans."

"You mean YOU raised the dead." Mabel replied.

Dipper sighed. It got windy, and another snowstorm was coming up. "Can we just move on. I don't want to become an icicle."

* * *

Later that day, they prepared a little campfire to cook some food. The cold made them hungrier than usual, and their supplies got smaller and smaller. Partially because of getting eaten, partally due to freezing.

Thus, Mabel went into a little group of trees and bushes and looked for some berries. The plantlife in this region was scarce, and only the most resistent plants could grow here. She found some white berries, and tasted one. For some reason, she felt warmer.

"Great. This should help!" Mabel picked as many berrys as possible. Not only would they help right now, but maybe her brother could use them in a potion. When she couldn't carry anymore, the girl tried to get back to the others. As she tried to walk to them, she felt something on her head. It felt like a hand. Before the Dragonborn could do anything, she was lifted into the air and thrown into the snow a couple of meters away.

She spit it out and looked up. There stood a Argonian, dressed in a black armor. Bits of red decorated it, and a holster for swords or daggers was on the front. The attacker was equipped with two swords, made out of solid steel. "What do you want?"

The Argonian didn't answer, but attacked. His first strike missed, as Mabel rolled out of the way. It seemed like the guy noticed something and picked her up again, only to throw her down a small cliff. She slided over the ground, and looked at her foe, who came down the cliff.

"Here. Now your friends won't notice us." He attacked again. Mabel noticed a thin film over the blade. Her first thought was that it was some kind of poison. If she was right, then one hit could be enough to kill her.

She dodged the blow. "Listen! I dont wanna fight you!"

The attacker took another swing.

 _"WULD!"_

Mabel used Whirlwind Sprint to get out of the Way. She slowly realised that there wasn't a choice for her. If she would run, he would find her again. He was also faster than her, and much stronger. She had to fight. At least she had her Spells, and thus ranged attacks. Maybe, if she would do it right, she wouldn't have to kill him.

Mabel equipped her Lightning Bolt spell and shot at the enemy. Two of the three strikes hit and send electricity through his nerves. He seemed to be in pain, but wasn't slowing down. The attacker charged forward again. Mabel jumped away, but the blade still hit her. Thankfully he only scratcged her armor , and the poison would not affect her. The blade went into the snow.

While he was pulling his blade out of the snow, the argonian exposed his back to Mabel. She used the chance, and jumped on his back. He tried to shrug her off, and she tried to tickle him. Due to the armor, it didn't work. He got a hold of her arm, and threw her over him, back into the snow.

She sunk in a bit and felt something under it... something slippery. Under the snow was ice. As soon as she managed to get up, another strike hit the snow next to her. Mabel equipped her flames and melted the snow around them. The whole Ice field was exposed. It had the wanted effects, and the attacker had trouble standing up while moving. Mabel however was not only smaller and lighter, but also didn't have to count in the weight of any weapons. This gave her a big advantage, and she knew it.

Ducking under a, rather undirected, swing, she used her lightning bolts again and shot at the foe. Electricity moved through him again, making it even harder to coordinate an attack. His attacks got less and less focused and Mabel slowly got the upper hand in the fight. She shot more Lightning Bolts and mixed a Candlelight in, blinding the Argonian.

 _"FUS RO!"_

The enemy stumbled back and fell on his back. Flames began to engulf his legs and burned his feet. Mabel felt how she got more and more angry at him. This guy attacked her while picking berries, tried to kill her and separated her from the others. She slowly approached him, and engulfed his head in flames. He tried to scream, but failed as his body went limb. When the fire stopped, Mabel catched her breath. It took a moment until she could think normally again.

She just murdered someone. Coldblooded. Of course, Dipper and Wendy had already killed people, but in Wendy's case it was to save her friends, and in Dipper's it was an accident. But he tried to kill her, so was it okay? Afterall, she could have spared him. Her mind was unable to decide, even though she actually had prepared herself for that. After Dipper's incident, it became clear to her that, at one point, she'd have to kill someone herself, so she started to think about it from time to time. As she realised now, preparing for it didn't help.

Trying to distract herself, she looked through his pockets. Maybe there was a clue why he tried to kill her. Maybe he was a big crimelord, or dangerous murderer. This would make it okay. Maybe. Eventually, she found a little note. The handwriting was atrocious, but she was able to decipher it.

 _"As instructed, you are to eliminate Mabel Pines by any means necessary. The Black Sacrament has been performed._

 _Somebody wants this poor fool dead._

 _We've already received payment for the contract. Failure is not an option._

 _-Astrid"_

This was unsettling at best. Someone wanted her dead. The whole thing with the black sacrament and payment didn't sound good either. And who the hell was Astrid? At least now it was clear that he was a assassin, or bounty hunter.

But still, she killed him. All kinds of feelings ran through her head right now. From hatred to sadness. And even worse, how would she get back? She couldn't climb the cliff. It was to steep. The other ways were no option either. Of course they would search for her, but how would they find her? Especially in the snowstorm that was going on right now. Sure, it didn't made it impossible to see anything, but one wasn't able to see very far. Then she had an idea. She looked into the sky and shouted as strong as possible.

 _"FUS RO!"_

* * *

The other three sat around the fire. Ten minutes had passed since Mabel began her search for some berries, and they began to worry.

"Where is she? Someone should go look for her." Dipper muttered.

Wendy stood up and walked toward the bushes. The others two followed her. Behind the plants, they saw holes in the snow. Some where footsteps, one was roughly as big as Mabel. There were too many footprints for one person though. Suddenly, a shout could be heard.

Out of instinct, all heads turned toward the sky, as they feared a dragon would attack them any minute. However, the voice was to feminine to be a dragon. Of course no one of them knew if there were any female dragons.

The three followed the direction the shout came from, and climbed down a cliff. There she was, sitting on a field of ice. A corpse was right next to her. Dipper and Wendy already guessed what happened and ran as fast as they could. As soon as they reached her, Dipper put his hand on Mabels shoulder.

She turned around, her eyes red from crying.

He put on a comforting smile. "What happened?"

"Th- This guy att- attacked m-m-me. I tri- tried to defend my- myself. I kil- killed him."

All of them were shocked. Not so much that Mabel did this, but that the guy just attacked her. Except for Pacifica. She was equally shocked about both. They looked over the corpse. It had burn marks all over it, but the head was burned so bad that the skull was visible. The blonde nearly puked.

"It's okay." Wendy sat down next to her, and patted Mabel's back. "You had to do it. Either that or he would have killed you." She paused for a second. "Or worse."

"What could be worse then death?" Dipper asked, and sat down to.

"Slavery for example." She turned back to Mabel. "Important is that you had no choice. You are still the same old Mabel we know. Nothing changed that."

She sighed. "I'm not so sure about that. When I burned his head, I couldn't control myself. It felt like pure rage took over."

Wendy exchanged a short look with Dipper, and both were in agreement that Farengar was probably right. Mabel, however, didn't need to know about that. "Calm down. That was just the stress. Just take a couple of deep breaths."

She did as told, and then grabbed a piece of paper from the ground. "I also found this in his pockets."

Wendy took the note, and everyone gathered around her to read it.

"What? Someone sent an assassin after you?" Dipper said in shock. "Who'd do this?" Every head turned around to look at Pacifica.

The blonde crossed her arms. "Why's everyone looking at me? Even if I still hated you, I'd never send someone to kill you."

"Sorry."

"I'd just humiliate you in public until you have no friends left and cry in a corner."

"Right. Thanks." Mabel deadpanned.

"You really have to learn when to stop talking." Dipper added, and took the note. "Well, it has to be someone who knows your name."

"Maybe the two guys from Ivarstead?" Wendy suggested.

"I don't think so. They seemed content on finding us by themselves. It also has to be someone who has a deep hatred for you."

Everyone thought for a second, and Mabel finally spoke up. "Nope. Doesn't ring a bell. Everyone likes me."

"That's not exactly true." Pacifica replied. "Dipper? What do you think?"

He was still in thought, but had a suspicion. However, he had to get more evidence before he would begin to call names. "No, not really. From now on, we should stay together." He folded the note and put it away, before helping Mabel up.

She wiped the snow of her legs, and tried not to look at the body. Suddenly, the snowfall began to disappear. Now having a clear sight, the four could finally see where they were. They stood next to a mountain, and in the distance, there was a little, grey dot in the snow. It was Ustengrav.

* * *

It took five minutes to walk down the mountain towards Ustengrav. However, it looked like getting in would not be easy. Multiple mages were working around it. The four took cover behind a rock, and listened in on the conversation two of them were having.

"These thralls of yours are slower than argonians in a blizzard." A female mage said.

The other one shrugged. "Feel free to grab a pick and help them out. I prefer not to sully myself with physical labor." This could turn out to be a problem. Those guys sounded like conjurers, and Ustengrav was appearently not easily accessible.

"So, should we help them?" Mabel asked, still feeling horrible for what she did.

"You can. I'm not going to dig open a tomb." Pacifica answered.

"Why should we?" Dipper pointed out. "We can just let them do the work and wait. If we're lucky, they even wipe out the Draugr inside."

"You think there are Draugr inside?" Wendy looked over the rock, and saw that the mages hadn't noticed them yet.

"In every tomb we visited, those things were there."

"Fair enough. But what when they cleared it out?"

"Then we sneak in. If we're lucky, they are friendly." They thought about it, and accepted Dipper's plan. There was a noise coming from the digsite, and the four looked back over there.

"There goes another one."

"Bah. Weak-Willed rabble. Even dead they're almost useless." One of the mages said.

"They seem less intelligent each time you raise them, if that's even possible." The female one replied in a mocking voice.

"As long as they can swing a pickaxe where I tell them, they're as smart as we need them to be." From the pit came a, from this distance undecipherable, voice.

"You hear that? The others must have found something."

"We'd better go see." The mage gestured to a couple of dead bandits next to them. "These can tend to themselves for a few minutes."

As the mages left, the bandits got up. A purple aura surrounded them.

"They are undead." Dipper muttered.

"Should we take them out?" Everyone looked at Wendy. "What? They are already dead."

Mabel nodded, and wanted to stand up, only to be stopped by her brother. "Wait. I'll try to take one out from here." He took his bow and a dwarven arrow. To aim better, he held his breath, and a couple of seconds later, the arrow soared through the air. Luckily, actually hitting one of them wasn't to hard, as the zombies just stood there. The arrow pierced the zombie's chest, and he fell over.

The other one drew an ax and charged at the source of the arrow. He didn't come far though, as he was hit by Lightning bolts. Under the barrage, he tripped and fell into the snow. The four approached him, and Wendy took him out by hitting his spine with her ax. The ice growing out of the wound was bloodred, just like the blade of her weapon.

To their surprise, as he died, he muttered something. "Thank… you…"

The four were a bit confused, and shocked. "Okay, that was messed up." Dipper said.

The corpse began to evaporate into a pile of ash. "Huh. Seems like being a zombie is torture. And the bodies evaporate, for some reason." Wendy looked into the pit. A wooden ramp led down. "You think we can go in now?"

"I guess." Dipper pulled his arrow out of the second ash pile. The end of it was stained red. "Let's go."

They were about to enter, when Pacifica stopped moving. Wendy turned around. "Come on."

"Nope. I'm not going in there."

"Seriously?" Mabel asked annoyed.

"Yes, I'm serious. First of, Spiders. Then there are probably corpses everywhere, a lot of dust and so on."

The three shrugged. "Alright, stay outside then."

She wanted to agree, when they heard the faint howling of a pack of wolves. "On second thought, I think I'm coming with you. Why not. Hehe."

Dipper rolled his eyes, and they entered. If he had to be honest, he was interested how Pacifica would do in here.

Immediatly after entering, they found some dead bandits, necromancers, skeletons and draugr. The walls were covered in burnmarks, and blood was splattered around the corpses. One of the bandits still had a sword sticking in his body. There was no doubt that a battle took place here, and it appearently left few, maybe even no survivors.

They tried not to look to much at the massacre, and followed the only way. A bit further in, the walls opened up to two chambers. Mabel and Dipper took the room to the left, where they found a couple of potions. Meanwhile, Pacifica and Wendy took went into the right room, and grabbed the two books that were laying around in there. After that action, all of them reunited in the hallway, and went further down into the crypt.

The hallway has also been place of a previous battle, as some dead draugr and a mage were on the ground. The tunnel opened to a short corridor, where two draugr stood over the bodys of two dead necromancers. They noticed the kids and drew their weapons. The first one was hit by a lightning bolt and stumbled back.

Wendy blocked the sword with her axe and kicked him in the leg. As he fell down, she tried to decapitate him, but the undead dodged the blade. Not that it helped him, as the next swing severed his shoulder and upper body. The other one got hit with an arrow to the head, before he could even get up.

"You guys are really good at this." Pacifica complimented them.

"Hehe, thanks." Dipper said, and blushed a bit. "Honestly, it isn't that hard. Those things rarely use any tactic besides hitting."

They turned left and found two rooms filled with urns. Pacifica took a book called _Mystery of Talara, V2_ while the others searched through the urns. There was a bit of gold in them, and some potions. To their dismay, they had to leave the potions, as their bag was to full to carry any more. At least that meant that there was a lot to sell, once they were back in Whiterun.

As the friends entered the next room, a draugr jumped out from a sarcophagus. Another one patrolled the other side of the room. Both entered battle, but were taken care of fast. They moved up the stairs and crossed the stone bridge that let to the next portion of the tomb. There was a coin purse and a soul gem in the corner in front of the door. As they descended down the stairs, they got into battle with another draugr. He was already injured, and thus posed no thread at all.

After avoiding some traps, the way let them on a bridge overlooking a feasting hall, and two more draugr patrolled the room. From their higher ground, the twins took care of the draugr, and went down into the hall itself.

They needed to restrain themselves from taking some of the food, as it was probably thousands of years old, even though some of it still looked good. Next to another dead draugr, Mabel noticed a dagger, which had a weird shimmer to it, as if it was glowing. Guessing that it was worth a lot, she picked it up.

The next room was filled with three more Draugr. In the middle of the room was an oilslick, which was immediatly ignited by Mabels spells. The Draugr burned to their death and the path was free.

In a small room, they found two healing potions and a soul gem. And an enchanter. Mabel realised something and took the shimmering dagger.

"What are you doing?" asked Pacifica.

"Quick, give me something to write on." Dipper shrugged and gave her the Journal. She opened a blank site and wrote enchantments on the top.

"What are you doing?" This time, Dipper was the one to ask. Wendy stepped up next to her and looked at the table. Mabel painted a pentagram on the side of the page. The charcoal was not the best thing to use, but the only option right now.

"I'm guessing she's summoning some kind of demon."

Mabel put the shimmering dagger in the middle of the table. Dipper could only see how Mabel wrote something down.

"What was that?" Wendy asked.

"I'm enchanting." While she said the second word, she gestured a rainbow into the air. "Pacifica, give me your dagger."

"Uhm... Okay" She pulled it out and handed it to Mabel. The Dragonborn put it one the table, and then took the glowing soul gem. A bright light filled the room and Mabel handed Pacifica the dagger back. It now had a shimmer, similiar to the one the old dagger had. "So, what now?"

"Now your Dagger is enchanted. It can do some cool stuff."

The blonde looked at the weapon, and swinged it through the air as a test. Nothing happened. "What exactly does it do?"

Mabel thought for a moment. "I dont know, actually. I guess you have to try out on a target."

Pacifica sighed, and put the dagger away. Dipper took the Journal back, and looked at the site Mabel wrote on. However, he didn't have any knowledge on enchanting, and thus the page made zero sense to him.

* * *

They continued their way into the main chamber. Their mouths stood open at the sight. It was a giant cavern. Natural light shined through the ceiling, although a bit red from the setting sun. Trees and other plants grew around a little pond on the bottom. They engulfed a Word Wall. Other than that, the tomb was open to the cavern. It seemed like the builders had just took half of it and changed it into a grave.

Several skeletons patrolled the area, with one sitting on a throne. The fight was quickly done though, and they went down to the wall.

"Okay, who gets this one?" Mabel asked.

Dipper shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe we should let the wall decide."

His sister agreed, and both stepped closer to it. Dipper felt a Word burning itself into his mind.

 _ **Feim-Fade.**_

"Oh man. Dipper got it this time." Mabel was disappointed, but immediatly became curious. "What does it do?"

"Let's try out."

 _"FEIM!_ _"_

He began to glow. "So, you became a lightbulb?" Pacifica joked.

"Are you feeling any different?" Wendy asked, while kneeling down at the water and cleaning her ax.

"Not really." As soon as it came, the glow disappeared again. "Maybe we should ask the Greybeards once we get back."

"Good Idea."

The four wanted to continue, but the way was blocked by a couple of gates. There were three stones in front of it. This was probably another puzzle. Dipper wanted to take a closer look at the gates and moved past the stones. When he passed the first one, a gate opened. Shortly after, it closed again. He stepped back, and the gate opened again, only to close again.

"We need to be fast." He said to himself. He stepped back and tried to sprint through the gates. He was not fast enough though, and ran against a closed gate. This brought out a chuckle from everyone. Dipper, now determined to do it, went back again.

 _"WULD!_ _"_

He dashed pass the stones and through the first two gates. Here, a pull chain hang on the wall. He pulled it and the gates opened. His friends applauded him and went into the new area.

The big room was completely covered in grey plates and cobwebs. Before anyone could do anything, two frostbites attacked. One immediatly jumped at Pacifica, who pulled out her dagger, more out of instinct than anything. She held it up and the spider impaled itself onto it.

A purple energy left the monster and moved into their bag. The other spider attacked Wendy, but was frozen with one axeswing.

"Pacifica!" Dipper yelled and ran to her aid.

"Get this thing of me!" Everyone grabbed a leg of the spider and pulled it away. Pacifica was covered in green blood. "Ew. This, this is just disgusting."

"Come on. Green actually fits you." Mabel joked.

"Oh haha. Really funny." She wiped of as much blood as possible. "Did anyone else notice the energy leaving the monster?"

"Oh right. It moved into the bag." Mabel looked through it and pulled out a soulgem, which was glowing now. "Oh, Farengar told me about this. It absorbed the spider's soul."

"Okay…. And?"

"This means the enchantment on your dagger can trap souls. Nice." Mabel commented, and put away the gem.

"Hold up a moment." Wendy interrupted. "You mean that, you are using souls to enchant something?"

Mabel nodded. "Don't worry. Human souls don't usually work. You need a black soul gem for that. Even then, Farengar told me that the souls go into the afterlife after the process."

"I'm not sure if that makes it better." Wendy said.

Dipper took the first step on the plates. A second later, fire spit out of it. He quickly pulled his foot back.

"Great. Flamethrower thingies." Mabel muttered.

"It took a second to activate. Maybe we can make it if we run?" Wendy proposed. All of them thought for a second.

"Okay, let's try it." The four ran through the room as fast as they could, and got away form the plates. The entire plate-covered part of the room was burning, and the cobwebs along the walls catched fire themselves.

They took a moment to catch their breath and went into the next room, which was obviously the final one. As they passed two pillars, giant statues rose from the water on the sides of the bridge. The friends approached the sarcopahgus nervously. To their shock, the draugr were already dead. And instead of the horn, there was a letter.

 _"Dragonborns._

 _I need to speak to you. Urgently._

 _Rent the attic room at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood, and I_ _'_ _ll meet you._

 _\- A friend."_

Everyone had a plain, dissappointed expression on their face.

Dipper noticed that Wendy's eye twitched.

"Are you..." She shouted furious. "...fucking kidding me?!" Everyone looked at her in shock. "We went through all of this bullshit, just for a goddamm piece of paper? Seriously?" She noticed the faces her friends made. "What?"

"Uhm, that was, uhm..."

She sighed, and tried to calm down. "Alright. Sorry. It's just the stress."

"Stress? What about being laid back?" Mabel asked.

"That's not that easy when you are constantly fighting animals, dragons, zombies and bandits. That builds up the stress well." She sighed again. "I guess my deal with your old man is broken now too."

"What deal?" Dipper raised an eyebrow.

"Right. I made a deal with your uncle not to swear around you, and he'd give me a raise." Wendy explained.

"Wow. So, you held that stuff in all the time?"

"Exactly. You know how hard it is to run away from a shapeshifter and not curse?"

"I can imagine." Dipper answered, and shifted his attention to the note "So, according to the note, we should get back to Riverwood. That doesn't really change our previous plan, does it?"

"Not really. We can just drop her off at Whiterun." Mabel looked around, searching for a treasure chest. "Unless she changed her mind." The girl looked at Pacifica. "Paz? Still want to go to Whiterun?"

"First of, after the last days, more than ever." She crossed her arms. "Secondly, did you just call me Paz?"

Mabel nodded. "You have something against a nickname? It's shorter than Pacifica, for sure."

"Please don't call me that."

"Just accept it. It's better than the last one." Dipper mentioned.

That caught her attention. "What was the last one?"

"You don't need to know." Dipper deadpanned. "Now, let's get back home."

They left the tomb the same way they walked in, not noticing the way behind the altar. Once they left, it was already dark, and a snowstorm was coming up. Thus, they decided that it was a better idea to spent the night in Ustengrav, rather than outside. The group put their sleeping bags down in the room with the word wall. Not that it was any warmer than outside, but at least they were save from wild animals and the snow.

* * *

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	19. Back in Whiterun

Chapter 19: Back in Whiterun

The next day was spend entirely by traveling back to Whiterun. The walk was relatively quiet, and the only thing that attacked them was a group of Frostbites. Still, walking from Ustengrav to Whiterun took a while, and they only arrived there shortly before sunset.

Pacifica was impressed by the city, and looked up to it all the time while they were approaching the gate. The guards at the entrance happily let them in, and the group walked up to their hose.

"So, this is your house?" Pacifica asked as they went inside.

"I know, it's nothing special." Wendy put her new sword into one of the racks near the entrance.

"It is better than the orphanage, that's for sure." The blonde looked around. "Where are the beds?"

Dipper wanted to show her the bedrooms, when he realised something. "Uhm, I think we've got a problem."

"What is it?" Mabel asked.

"Well, we are four people, and only have three beds." Everyone lookedat each other.

"Maybe one of us can sleep down here?" Mabel suggested. She looked over the room. Chairs, a bench and a table weren't good places to sleep.

All of them began to think about it. In the end, they had three possibilities: Either buy a new one, someone sleeps on the bench or at the Inn. After arguing for a long time, they decided to buy another bed. Of course, the question now was: where to get one? The city lacked any shop that specifically sold furniture.

Dipper decided that it would be a good idea to ask Belethor. He probably knew where to get one. He opened the door, but Pacifica stopped him by putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Wait. I'm coming with you."

"I'm sure I can do this alone." Dipper replied.

"I know, I just wanna make sure it's up to my personal standards." She put her armor back on, and left the house. Dipper rolled his eyes, and followed.

The duo went to the shop, which was luckily still open. Upon entering the shop, the Breton greeted them instantly.

"Ah, the young Dragonborn. You found a girlfriend, I see?" Dipper and Pacifica blushed and moved a step away from eachother.

"We're not together. We are just friends." Pacifica said in panic.

"She's right. We are only friends." Dipper agreed, equally embarassed.

"If you say so. What can I do for you?"

"Do you know where we can get a bed?" Pacifica asked.

He thought for a second. "Well, we usually get our furniture from the farms or build them ourselves, but I've heard that the Inn had got a new one yesterday. If you are lucky, you may get the old one." Belethor began to clean his counter.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Is there anything else you need?"

"Not right now. Good Night." Dipper and Pacifica waved as they left the shop.

The two walked over the market, and went into the Inn. It was still full of people, which was understandable. The two approached the counter. "Hey Hulda." Dipper greeted. "We've heard you threw out a bed yesterday?"

The Innkeeper looked up from her counter. "We did. It wasn't up to our standards. Why are you asking?"

Dipper gestured at his friend. "Pacifica here is moving in with us, and we don't have enough beds."

"And now you need one?"

"Precisely."

She shrugged. "Well, you can have it. It should still be behind the inn."

Dipper thanked her. "Do you want any money for it?"

"Don't worry. It's free."

They thanked her and left the Inn to searched for the bed behind the building. It was standing on the ground, next to a couple of barrels. The 'matress' was missing, but the rest was still intact. However, a bit of hay should be enoguh to replace the missing part. Everyone grabbed one side of it, and they tried to move it. It was way to heavy.

"Maybe I could to move it with a Shout." Dipper suggested.

"I think you would just destroy it. We should ask Wendy for help."

They did as said, and got her to help. Although it moved a bit, it was still to heavy. "What the hell are these things made of? Titanium?" She said, trying to catch her breath.

"You think we can bribe a guard?" The blonde went over to the closest guard, and asked him, before paying. With the guard's help, they finally managed to get the bed into the house, and up the stairs.

"Thanks." Dipper said to the guard, who was already leaving.

Mabel left her room, holding her bunny in her arms. "Oh, new bed." It was standing in the middle of the hallway. She turned to the Northwest. "So Paz, where do you want to sleep?"

Pacifica starred at her for a moment while thinking. "You're here for two nights, right?"

The three nodded.

"I think this is okay then. After that, I'll just sleep in Wendy's room."

"Yeah." Wendy agreed. "Wait..."

Before she could say anything, Mabel interrupted. "Alright. Now that we managed solved that problem, who wants dinner?"

"Uhm, we solved the problem. You just sat in their and played with your pet." Pacifica corrected. "I'm hungry though."

The dinner wasn't anything special. A normal potato soup, with some vegetables thrown in. After the meal, Mabel left the house one last time. Wendy went up into her room to clean her armor. It was still dirty from the trip, mostly with spider blood. Dipper, however, went to bed, since he was tired from the day. Pacifica sat down in a chair and began to read the book she found in Ustengrav.

After roughly twenty minutes, Mabel came back. She carried a grey mass of fur.

"What's that?" Pacifica asked, slighty disgusted. It smelled horrible.

"Just something I found down in the water at the gates." She held out her hand, and the fur unfurled into a skeever. Mabel held it's tail.

"Ew. Why did you bring that here?"

"I wanted to try out my new Spell." She threw the corpse on the ground, which caused Pacifica to jump back. A purple light appeared in Mabel's hand, and she threw it at the skeever. It created an aura around it. A moment later, the Skeever got back up again. Now they had a zombie-skeever standing in the middle of the room.

"This- I can't- I don't- Why?" Pacifica stuttered.

"So it can raise the dead. Nice."

The skeever looked at them, before attacking Pacifica. It jumped at her and clawed itself into the hair. "Get it off!"

Mabel grabbed the zombie-animal, and tried to pull it away. "Use your magic!" Pacifica's voice was muffled quite a bit behind the mass of fur.

In that moment, Wendy came out of her room and saw the scene. Mabel pulled on a burning… something, which was stuck at Pacifica's face while she screamed. She rubbed her forehead. "I'm to tired to deal with this." Wendy turned around on the spot, and went back into her room.

After a minute of pulling, Mabel finally managed to get the thing off. Only a cooked bag of meat and fur were left of the skeever.

Pacifica's face didn't look good either. The skeever left a good amount of cuts and bruises. Mabel scratched the back of her head. "Sorry. But hey, at least we got some fresh meat." She held up the dead skeever.

Pacifica let out a terrified scream. "Get that thing away from me!"

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." Mabel took the thing outside and threw it into a random barrel, hoping it was a bin. When she got back inside, Pacifica already sat in the chair again, reading her book. Without saying a word, Mabel took a health potion and put on the table, before going to bed.

* * *

"Good Morning." Wendy greeted Dipper, as he came down into the living room.

He took a slice of bread out of the shelf, and sat down at the fireplace. "Hey. You know what that noise was yesterday?"

"Honestly, I don't want to know." Wendy poured herself a bit of water into a mug, and sat down too. "So, what are you planning on doing today?"

"I think I'll try making some more potions."

"Just so you know, I'm not going to try any of them." She took a sip of her water.

"No problem. I wanted to ask Arcadia for help anyway. And you?"

"Well, before we set out for Ivarsteadt, Aela offered me to train a bit. I thought that I'll ask her if the offer still stands."

"Aela?" Dipper asked, and bit into his breakfast.

"You remember the giant we saw when we first arrived here?" Wendy drank the rest of her water, and put the mug on the table.

"Yeah. Why?"

"She's the one who talked with us. After we took down Mirmulnir, she seemed to have changed her mind." Wendy walked over to the weapons rack, and took her ax. "See you later."

"Bye." Dipper waved as his friend left the house.

* * *

Wendy was standing in front of Jorrvaskr. She knocked on the door, and it took a minute until someone opened.

Aela opened the door. "For the last time, Heimskr. We don't wan-" She realised who knocked. "Oh, it's you."

"Nice to see ya. Does the offer still stand?" Wendy put on a smile.

Aela opened the door wider, and gestured her to come into the building. "Sure, come in."

The inside of Jorrvaskr looked like a inn, minus the counter. A couple of stairs led down into the basement. Two companions were beating each other up in a corner. Most of the others sat at the table, eating their breakfast.

Aela led her to the backdoor, and turned around. "Farkas? Can you take my assignment? I promised to show this milkdrinker here some tricks. And send Vilkas out later."

"Sure thing. Just don't kill her." The man replied, and bit into his meat.

The companion smirked and went into the backyard with Wendy. Outside, there were some tables with weapons on them. Training dummies and bullseyes were scattered around. Aela looked at Wendy. "Alright. First order of business: What kind of weapon do you use?"

"Well, mostly my ax." Wendy took her weapon, and handed it to the companion, who inspected it.

"It's not made for killing, is it?"

"No, it's made for cutting down wood. You know, like an ax."

"Yes, that's obvious. Still, it seems to be enough to take down a dragon." She handed the weapon back. "Anything else?"

"I've got a sword. But I don't have it here right now."

"That's okay." Aela walked over to some equipment, took a shield, and threw it at Wendy. She catched it. "When you're using one-handed weapons, it's always a good idea to have a shield on you."

Wendy looked at the shield. It was made out of wood, inside of a steel frame. "Can't I just use my weapon to block strikes?"

"Sure. But a shield is not only more efficient at it, you also have your weapon-hand free to counter the attack. Not to mention that a shield can block arrows. And spells, to a degree."

Wendy took the shield, and put it on her wrist. It wasn't to heavy, but sitting down with it, or doing anything with her hands, could become difficult with he shield on. "Can't I block arrows with my sword too?"

"Technically, yes. But it's hard, and can damage your weapon. Not to mention the sharp reflexes you'd need." Aela turned around to look over the citywall, into the distance. "I've only heard of one warrior who perfected that technique. Legend says he only wears ebony, and that he is the strongest warrior in Tamriel, maybe even on Nirn." She turned back around. "Long story short, don't get your hopes up. You and I, we are far from his level. Now to blocking spells. I should mention that certain shields can block certain spells. A shield made out of wood can stop lightning spells, while one made out of metal is better to block fire."

"Makes sense. Wood can't transfer electricity." Wendy pointed out.

"Exactly. Now, show me how you fight."

The door to Jorrvaskr opened, and a brown-haired man, wearing a grey armor left the Meadhall. "You called me, Aela?"

"Good. Wendy, was it? You and Vilkas here will have a little fight. Show me what you got." She sat down at one of the tables.

Wendy looked at Vilkas, then the giant warhammer he had with him. "Him? You sure?"

"Don't be scared. Vilkas doesn't bite. Well, most of the time." Aela let out a small laugh.

"Actually, I have to agree with her." Vilkas said. "She doesn't seem like she has much experience in combat."

"In case you don't know, she's the houscarl of the dragonborn. It's our duty as nords to help them were we can. Especially in the current crisis."

He sighed, and grabbed his warhammer. "Alright. Don't worry, I won't kill you."

Wendy reluctantly took her ax, readied her shield, and got into position.

"Okay, you already made the first mistake." Aela said. "Your stance is all wrong. You have to use you bodyweight to make it as hard as possible for the enemy to get you on the ground. "

"Okay..." Wendy shifted her stance, until she was sure that it was steadier. "I'm ready."

Vilkas charged forward, and held his hammer up. She held her shield above her, and the hammer hit it. The cracking of wood was heard, but Wendy was okay. Mostly, as her arm hurt a bit. Before she could retaliate, Vilkas kicked her, and she flew across the courtyard, against one of the dummies. Hay rained down on her.

Aela shook her head. "This is gonna be a long day."

* * *

Mabel had put everything they collected on their trip on the table, and tried to decide what to sell. There was a lot of worthy stuff there, especially the gems. She already sorted out the ingrediants that could be used for potions, as well as any soulgems. The dragonscale was also put to the side, since she wanted to bring it to Farengar later.

Dipper had already left the house, in search of Arcadia. The only one with her here was Pacifica, who was still angry from the events of the last evening.

"This is harder than I thought." She muttered. "Pacifica? You have any idea?"

"Why not sell one of those skeevers? You seem to like 'em." The blonde replied sarcastically.

"I said I'm sor-" Mabel stopped, as she remembered something she saw under the bridge at the entrance. She stood up, and stormed out of the house.

Once outside, she began to search for Dipper. He was waiting in front of Arcadia's shop, which was still closed. Without saying a word, Mabel grabbed the arm of her brother. "Mabel? What's going on?"

"I've got to show you something." She pulled him with her, and ran to the bridge.

"What now?"

"Come on." Mabel went down, under the bridge. Dipper followed her, and nearly froze at what he saw. There was a mark on the wall, consisting of a triangle with a circle in the middle.

"You don't think-"

"That this has something to do with Bill? I do." Mabel replied.

"Alright. Alright. This has to have another meaning. Maybe one of the guards knows something. I mean, how could Bill influence this place." He left the area under the bridge, and looked for a guard. Five minutes later, he came back with one. He showed him the mark, and the guard took a closer look.

"And you said it had something to do with a being called Bill Cipher?" He asked, and laughed. "Don't worry, boy. This is a shadowmark. The Thieves guild used to place them everywhere, to indicate certain things like danger or where then can find loot. They aren't as big as they used to be, but thanks for showing it to me. I'll see to remove it, and tell the others to look a bit more often down here." He left, leaving the twins alone.

"So, false alarm?" Mabel said.

"I guess so. Not that I'm mad." Dipper turned around, and began to walk away. "If you don't mind, I'll look if Arcadia is opened by now."

"See ya!" Mabel said, and went home. To her surprise, the stuff on the table was organized. She turned toward Pacifica, who was sitting in a chair, reading a book. "Did you do this?"

The blonde nodded. "Who should know better about this stuff than a Northwest?"

Mabel couldn't argue with that point. She took everything she wanted to sell, and left the house again, heading for the market. The majority of the town was already up. Mabel went to different stalls, trying to sell her stuff. Finally, the last thing she had left were the gems, which she sold to Belethor. He made a surprisingly good offer, and the group got hundreds of gold richer. The only thing left to do for her was to give the scale to Farengar, and to buy a second, bigger bag.

* * *

Wendy was held up by her throat, and thrown against a wooden pillar. She spit out a bit of blood. The training was actually going better than she expected. Aeala and Vilkas had shown her a couple of tricks that could turn the tides of a real fight. And all her bones were still intact.

"Time-out." Aela yelled. "Come on you two. Sit down. Drink something."

Vilkas agreed and sat down, just like Wendy. Aela gave everyone a bottle of Mead. The drink went down Wendy's throat, and felt extremely relaxing, although she couldn't pin down if it was due to the alcohol, or the fact that it was something cold to drink after hours of training. Of course she knew about the alcohol way back in Riften, she just didn't want to admit it to the twins. The two had enough to worry about, and a small drink in the evening shouldn't be to bad. Considering the culture in Skyrim, it could even help out with making some connections.

"So. You said you weren't from here?" Aela asked.

Wendy nodded. "I'm from pretty far away. I don't think anyone on Tamriel heard of it. Like, ever."

"And where do you come from? An island?"

Wendy thought for a moment. Saying that she was from another dimension wasn't a good idea. Dipper and Mabel already made up the story about Oregon being an island far away, so it would be best to stick to one story. "Yes, an Island. Far, far off the shore of Morrowind."

"Interesting. How is it over there?" Vilkas asked, and drank from his mead.

"It's... Interesting. Defintely a lot more peaceful than here."

"Let me guess... No monsters?" Aela replied.

Wendy laughed. "Oh no, we got monsters. They just aren't as vicious as the ones that I've encountered here. For the most part."

"And how are your warriors?" Her sparring partner asked. Fighting really seemed to be an important factor in the culture of this world.

"You can't really compare them to the warriors here." Wendy answered. She could already guess that her new friends would want to know more.

"I'm sure I can take on one of your warriors." The companion said, full of himself.

"Honestly, you'd have a bullet between your eyes before you could even raise your hammer." Wendy said. It took her a moment to realise what she just said.

"What's a bullet?" Aela asked.

Wendy had to think fast. "Uhm, a bullet is a piece of metal, shot from a pipe. It gets very fast." She hoped that this would be enough for her to understand the concept.

"Like an arrow." Vilkas pointed out.

"Kinda. Trust me, in an all-out war, my home would win." Wendy realised that, in a way, she was proud of it.

"Hmpf. I think you forgot that we nords are the best warriors in Tamriel. Combine that with the mages of the empire, we are undefeatable." Aela stated.

"Trust me. You'd loose. We have weapons that can level entire regions. Once it hits, the area is uninhabitable for centuries."

The two companions looked at her with shock in their eyes. "Why would someone build something like that? I mean, the destruction isn't worth it. What would you do with the land?"

"Well, it was a complicated time. However, our wars are way more destructive then yours, and since no nation wants to be hit with one of those things, they try a more diplomatic approach. In a way, that weapon is ensuring peace between the big nations." She drank from her mead.

"Your home is messed up." Vilkas deadpanned.

"Says the one who is from a province that's in a civil war, all because someone yelled someone else into pieces, while dragons are running wild?" Wendy replied.

"Good point. If it's that far away, how did you end up here anyway?"

Wendy took a sip from her drink. "To be honest, we don't know. That's what we're trying to find out. However, I don't think it was a coincidence. I mean, two dragonborn come here, just when the dragons return." Wendy stood up. The mead really helped her to get better. "Vilkas? Ready to get your ass kicked?" She cracked her knuckles.

Said man smiled. "I have to admit, you've got the right spirit." He stood up. "But you still have a lot to learn."

He grabbed his hammer, and swung it at Wendy. She ducked under it, and managed to hit the hilt of the hammer with her ax. Some Ice crystals appeared, and she tightened her grip. This was something she shouldn't have done, as it enabled him to lift her up, and throw her away with his hammer. It hit the city wall, and Wendy fell to the ground.

"Like I said, a lot to learn." He picked up his hammer, only to be kicked by Wendy. He tried to retaliate, but Wendy managed to dodge, and deliver a blow with her shield to his back. Vilkas shrugged it off and laughed. "You know, you may not be to strong, but you sure are quick. That's an advantage you should use."

Wendy smiled. Those guys really didn't seem as bad as she thought at first. Maybe they would give her more lessons, once they were back from Riverwood.

* * *

Mabel entered Farengar's study. Like usual, he was looking at his research, and didn't notice her at first. She coughed in her fist, and the wizard looked up.

"Ah, the dragonborn. You're back, I see. Was the visit helpful?" He said, still having half his mind in his research.

"Kinda. They showed us some new shouts, and told us to go fetch this artifact. But then someone had already taken it, and told us to come to Riverwood. But, we found this." She reached in her bag, and pulled out the dragon scale.

"Is that from a dragon?" Farengar asked, his mouth wide open.

"It is." She gave it to the wizard, who inspected it in detail.

"This thing should help out my research a lot. It is in perfect condition too." He looked at Mabel. "Where did you get it?"

"We ripped it off of a dragon. The thing captured one of our friends." Mabel explained.

"And did you find out anything about the dragons?" He put the scale to the side.

"I guess. We met Ulfric, and he said that some of the graves are empty."

Farengar started to walk up and down. "Ressurection? That doesn't look good. I hope my suspicion isn't true." He stopped. "And what about you? How is your magic coming along?"

She smiled. "Pretty good. I've learned a lot of new spells."

"Great. And you are using them responsibly, right?"

"Uhm, sure. Only to defend myself. Or to light a campfire." Mabel remembered something important. "One thing I wanted to ask you: Did you ever hear of something called the 'Dark Brotherhood'?"

This caught Farengar's attention. "Why are you asking this?"

"One of them was send after me. I took him out, but still." She reached into her pocket, and pulled out the note.

Farengar took it, and quickly glanced over it. He sighed. "The Dark Brotherhood is a league of assassins. They worship Sithis, and kill targets if one is to fulfill the Black Sacrament. Someone seems to really hate you."

"Yeah, we figured that out too. Is there any way to find out who did this?"

"Not really, no. Only thing you can do is looking at the evidence, and find out who you might have angered." He gave her the note back.

Mabel was disappointed. That wasn't very helpful. She wasn't even sure what to do once she found the one who send the assassin. Her first thought was payback, but that could just make the situation worse. "Thanks anyway. By the way, can you train a little bit of magic with me?"

"Not now. I'm very busy. Even the conversation right now wastes important time. But you should get a reward." He searched his bookshelf, and pulled out a new spell tome. Three rings were on its cover.

"Wow, thanks. What does it do?"

"It's an Illusion spell. It can enrage anyone it hits, causing them to attack anything in sight." Mabel thought about it. It seemed useful, especially if they's run into bandits. That way, they wouldn't have to do the dirty work. " And now go. I have important work to attend to."

"Okay, bye."

"Goodbye, dragonborn."

* * *

It was getting late, and Wendy's training was coming to an end. In her opinion, Aela and Vilkas were a great help.

However, she still wasn't even close to their skill. Proven by the fact that she, once again, was laying on the ground. She got up, and blocked a punch form Vilkas with her shield. Not that it helped, since the shaft of his hammer hit her in the abdomen, and she fell back down. The companion helped her up, but she pulled on his arm, and he fell down.

"Not bad." He said as he got back up. "That's it for now."

Wendy stretched her arms. They hurt, just like the rest of her body. "Thanks for the help, guys."

"Don't mention it." Aela replied. "In case you want more, just come back. Who knows, maybe you can actually become a companion one day."

"Yeah, sure." Wendy answered sarcastically. She still wasn't a big fan of the concept. Being a mercenary isn't her dream job, even if they were stuck here. She looked at the shield. "I like that thing though. Can I keep it?"

Aela took the shield from her. "You wish. This one is for training purposes only. If you want one, go to the smith and buy one."

Wendy sighed. "Alright. Anyth-"

"Wendy!"

She turned around, and saw Dipper running toward them. "Hey! What is it?"

"I just wanted to see how your training is going." He noticed the bruises on his friend. "Not to well, I take it."

"Actually." Aela spoke up. "She's not doing bad. Sure, she fell on her back time and time again, but she's not the worst trainee we had."

Wendy smiled. "Thanks. How did your training go?"

"Not to well. Arcadia wasn't open today. According to Belethor, she's out collecting ingrediants. So I just bought some ingrediants from the market and mixed them together."

"I'm not going to try any potions." Wendy made clear.

"Don't worry." He looked over to the two companions. "Are you buying potions?"

"No, we have no use for that stuff. Last time we wanted to incorporate them, half the basement blew up." Vilkas explained.

"How the hell did you do that?"

"Let's just say some of them don't work well with mead." Aela said, and turned back to Wendy. "And you. I wish you good luck. And don't forget, you can come back whenever you want."

"Understood." Wendy waved, and left together with Dipper. "Can we go to the smith?"

"Why?"

"I want to buy a shield." Wendy said. "Maybe one out of steel."

He shrugged. "No problem."

As soon as they entered the smithy, called the Warmaiden's, the owner instantly greeted them. "Welcome to the Warmaiden's." He looked at Wendy. "Now you, my girl, have definitely come to the right place." Weapons, as well as armor, were standing and hanging around everywhere. Maces, helmets, swords, everything one needed was there.

"Thanks." Wendy said. "Do you have any shields?"

"Sure." He went into the backroom, and came back with one. It was made out of dark wood, reinforced with solid steel. "A steady, heavy steel shield, forged by one of the best blacksmiths in Skyrim. Only costs 150 gold."

"That's pretty expensive." Dipper pointed out, and looked at Wendy. "You sure you want to buy it?"

Wendy nodded. "Honestly, I'd rather spend that money than die in a fight."

He nodded. "Well then. Go ahead."

Wendy gave the owner the gold. "Thanks. Show me your arm." Wendy held her arm on the counter, and the smith measured it. With that, he adjusted the loop on the back of the shield, so it wouldn't fall down while being used. He showed her how to adjust it herself, in case she wanted to do that. "There. Good luck with your new shield."

She tried to swing the shield around. It was heavier than the one she used in training, but that should also mean that it was more effective at blocking attacks. Wendy also thought about using it as a weapon. "Thank you." She waved, and they left the shop.

* * *

Once they were back home, she leaned her new equipment against the weapons rack. Meanwhile, Dipper went back into the alchemy room. He came back with a bottle, and gave it to Pacifica, who stood up from her chair. Dipper walked up next to Wendy.

"What are you doing?" Wendy asked.

"Pacifica promised to try one." He replied, and took a note and a feather to write down the effect.

"Did you tell her wh-"

"No."

Before Wendy could say anything, Pacifica drank the potion, and she went completely invisible. "Whoah." She gasped.

Dipper jumped into the air. "Yes. It worked."

"How long does this last?" Pacifica asked. She sounded scared.

"I, I have no idea." The dragonborn admitted.

The door opened, and Mabel entered the house. "Hey, how's it going?"

"Pretty good." Dipper and Wendy answered in unison.

Mabel took off her armor, and put it on the bench. "Great. I brought Farengar the scale."

"Did he pay you?" Wendy asked.

Mabel nodded. "He gave me another spell tome. Look." Her hand took on a red color, and she shot the spell into the room.

"Uhm, what does-" Dipper's question was somewhat answered as he was tackled to the ground by nothing. Something began to beat him up. "What's going on?"

Pacifica's voice was heard. It sounded like she was angry. "DIE!"

"Dipper!" Mabel tackled the invisible, enraged blonde and threw her off her brother. She took Dipper's hand, and helped him up.

The boy dusted himself off. "Thanks. What's wrong with her?"

"Well, maybe the new spells enrages people. According to Farengar, they'll attack anything in sight." She looked to her left, and saw a floating dagger. "Oh dear."

"YOU BITCH!" The dagger came down, but was stopped by Wendy's new shield. Wendy used the chance, and confusion, to knock the Northwest out with a punch. She didn't know where it hit, and only saw the dust as Pacifica fell down.

"Try to aim next time." She noted and put her shield down.

"To be fair, she was invisible." Dipper said.

The effect of the potion disappered, and she became visible again. A bit of blood was coming out of her nose. Mabel walked up to her. "Sorry." She muttered, and poked her into the side. "Please be alive."

"I have an idea." Dipper said, and took a bottle of water. He emptied it over her head, and she opened her eyes.

Pacifica held her head. "Ouch. My head hurts." She looked around, and saw her friends starring at her. "What happened?"

Mabel let out an embarassed chuckle. "Maybe, just maybe, I accidently hit you with a spell."

"Why am I always the victim of your magic?" The Northwest looked at her hands, and noticed the blood. "Why is my nose bleeding?"

"You first tackled me, than tried to punch me to death." Dipper deapanned, and began to search for a towel.

"Right. Then you tried to stab me." Mabel added. "So Wendy knocked you out."

Dipper found one, and gave it to Pacifica, who started to clean the blood. "Uh, I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault." Dipper assured her.

"I know. I- I'm gonna go to bed." She got up, and went up the stairs, into her bed.

"I think I'm going to do the same thing. See you tommorrow, dorks." Wendy went up into her room.

The twins themselves ate something small, and went into bed too.

* * *

 **I should note that, from now on, Pacifica isn't part of the main group anymore. Although I'm thinking about writing a chapter later, following her around Whiterun.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	20. Sahloknir

Chapter 20: Sahloknir

In the next morning, the three got up as quiet as possible. Pacifica was still sleeping, and after the events of the last days, she needed some rest. Mabel put some money on the table, together with some potions, in case something would happen. Everyone grabbed their stuff, and left the house. It was so early, that most of the townspeople were still sleeping. The sun wasn't even risen completely.

They walked through the woods around Riverwood, until they reached the town. Wendy and Mabel wanted to head straight for the inn, but Dipper had another plan. "Mabel? Could you come with me, please?"

His sister raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I want to ask someone something."

She shrugged, and the two walked to one of the houses at the end of the town. Dipper knocked, and a Bosmer opened the door. He was pretty surprised to see the two kids here. "What do you two want?"

"Faendal, is it? You know, we've been near Morthal a couple of days ago." Dipper gestured to Mabel. "While my sister here was picking berries, an assassin attacked her."

The eyes of the elf widened a bit. "And?"

"Well, you are the only person we met that has a reason to hate her." Dipper made a short pause. "Which means you are probably the one who send him."

"Wait! How do you know that?" He immediatly put his hands before his mouth, knowing that he just blew his cover.

"So _you_ send him?!" Mabel said angry. Embers began to spark from her hands.

Faendal tried to comprehend the situation. "But how are you still alive?"

"I killed him, okay? So, why did you do it?" Faendal seemed frightened. Just as Dipper. It looked like Mabel was actually ready to kill.

"Because you destroyed any chance I had with Camilla." Faendal explained.

"Because you hurt my bunny! We found him in a trap you layed!" Fire began to come out of Mabel's hands.

The elf began to panic. "I'm sorry. Hunting is my job. Someone has to get the meat."

"And that was enough to send a goddamn assassin?" Mabel's rage grew.

Dipper was scared that she would loose it and attack the Bosmer. If he would have to be honest, Faendal kind of deserved it. He send an assassin after a twelve year old afterall. However, there were also guards around, and comitting a murder wasn't a good thing to do anyway.

He layed a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Calm down Mabel. I think he learned his lesson."

"No, he hasn't." She aimed at the barrels and haystacks that stood next to Faendal's house. In an instand, they burned to ash. "There. This is what you get you jerk!" She began to calm down, and went back to Wendy.

Before he left too, Dipper looked at the Bosmer one last time. "Listen. I'm sorry about her. But if you try something like this one more time, it'll end different, okay?" Faendal nodded and quickly went back into his house. Dipper saw Mabel and Wendy high-fiving, and joined them.

* * *

Now, they could enter the Inn. There wasn't much going on this early in the morning, and the only ones there besides the staff was a traveller that passed out over a beer. The trio approached the counter, and the woman sitting at the counter greeted them. "What can I do for you?"

Dipper tried to remember what was written on the letter. "We would like to, uhm, rent the attic room, please?"

The woman smirked. "Attic room, eh? Well… we don't have an attic room, but you can have the one on the left. Make yourself at home." They shrugged and followed her into the room. She closed the door. "So, you're the two dragonborn? I've been hearing so much about you. I think you are looking for this." She gave them the Horn.

"Why did you take it in the first place?" Wendy asked. "Why are you so-"

"All in due time. Follow me." They followed her to the wardrobe in the room. The Innkeeper turned a key, and opened the wardrobe. pushed the backwall. It opened to a staircase, leading into a small room. It was filled with all sorts of stiff. Weapon racks, training dummies, an alchemy table, shelves and a table in the middle of the room.

"What is all of this?" Dipper muttered. This Inn was the last place he expected an secret room.

She stepped behind the table, and opened up some sort of map. "Now we can talk. The Greybeards seem to think you two are Dragonborn. Hope they are right."

The twins looked at each other. The whole situation was still a bit confusing. And they weren't sure if they could trust the woman. "Everything seems to point towards it." Dipper evemtually said.

"Well, you are certainly a bit younger than expected, but this is merely something we have to deal with."

"Listen, we only came here for the Horn, not for a weird secret basement." Wendy pointed out, and leanded against a wall. "Can we go now?"

The woman looked at Wendy in annoyance. "And now you have it. No harm done. I knew the Greybeards would send you for the Horn if they thought you were Dragonborn. Taking it was the only way I could be sure this wasn't a Thalmor trap."

Mabel, Dipper and Wendy were even more confused. What did the Thalmor had to do with that. And, even more important, who were they even? Wendy only heard the term when she talked to Heimskr and Aela, and the twins only from Wendy. "Who are the Thalmor?" She asked.

"You really aren't from here, are you?" She walked over to one of the shelves, and pulled out a book. A stylized dragon was on its cover. she put the book on the table. "I will tell you later. We have more pressing matters right now."

"Which would be?" Dipper starred at the book. he recognized the dragon from somewehre, he just couldn't pin down where he saw it.

"Dragons aren't just coming back, they're coming back to life. They weren't gone somewhere all this years. They were dead, killed off centuries ago by my predecessors. Now something's happening to bring them back to life." She looked at the twins. "And I need you to stop it."

Sure, it was a guess they already had, but now they knew it was real. "We already guessed that, although we were told that there was no spell that could do this." Mabel explained. "Honestly, the more I think about it, the crazier it seems."

"Ha. A few years ago, I said almost the same thing to a colleague of mine. Well, it turned out he was right and I was wrong."

"And how does it work? Do you know that?" Dipper asked. He wanted to take the book, but the woman pulled it away from him.

"I don't. I've visited their traditional burial mounts and found them empty." And there was more frustration. This wasn't helping. "And I've figured out where the next one will come back to life." Now this was a good information. However, it didn't take long until they knew what that meant. "We're going to go there, and you're going to kill that dragon. If we succeed, I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"No. We want answers. Now." Wendy insisted.

"Forget it. Until I'm one hundred percent certain that you are the real deal, I'll not tell you anything." The woman walked up to Wendy, and starred directly into her eyes.

It was kind of intimidating. Wendy sighed. Arguing with her didn't seem to go anywhere. "And where did you learn all of this?"

She walked back to the table, and looked at the map. "You should know. You got the map for me. The dragonstone you retrieved for Farengar, remember?"

"You have been the cloaked woman, right?" Dipper pointed out. In heinsight, he could've guessed that from her voice.

"Exactly."

"So, where are we going?" Everyone was aboard for the dragon hunt. Sure, it wasn't ideal, but they could still get the information, and take out a dragon before it presents a threat. With a bit of luck, they could even see how they get ressurected.

"Kynesgrove." The woman pointed at the map, close to Windhelm. "There's an ancient dragon burial mount there. If we can get there before it happens, maybe we'll learn how to stop it."

"Then let's go and kill a dragon." Judging by her voice, it was more than obvious that Mabel was motivated. "Wait, you didn't even tell us your name."

"Delphine." She put on an armor that was leaning against the wall. It was made out of metal, with a dark-grey color. "Now come on. We don't have much time."

The four left the basement. As they were about to leave, Delphine turned towards the other Innkeeper. "Orgnar, I'm traveling. You've got the Inn 'til I get back."

"Right. Happy trails." Orgnar replied dry. It sounded like he was used to this.

They left the Inn and moved north. The kids had problems with keeping up. "I hope you're Dragonborn, I really do. But we'll find out soon enough. We may all end up dead, but at least it gets me out of Riverwood. I don't really think I'm cut out for the quiet life. I doubt the Thalmor are aware of you yet. So we should be safe from them, at least."

"You keep mentioning them. Who are the Thalmor?" Dipper asked, and jumped over a small rock.

"Trust me. You'll find out soon enough."

* * *

After some time, they passed a familiar place and Delphine stopped for a moment. The others ran past her, unable to stop in time. "Valtheim Towers. This was a notorious bandit hideout. Something destroyed it however."

The towers weren't recognizable. The one on the other side of the river was mostly broken down. The only things left of the bridge were stones and rocks scattered around. The tower on their side wasn't even there anymore.

Wendy was instantly reminded of the events here. She wasn't sure if she should tell Delphine about it. For some reason, however, she did not feel that bad about it anymore. Have it been Arngeir's words? Or the time they spent here? Or the fact that she spent every night since then thinking about it? Whatever it was, she was ready to do it again if necessary. If it really was the only way to survive here, there was no choice anyway. Still, the whole thing was haunting her from time to time.

"One of the towers blocked the road. Made travelling pretty complicated." Delphine explained. "Good thing the empire cleared the mess up so fast." Delphine shrugged it off and they moved on. "We'll cross the White River and follow it to Windhelm. Then we can swing south to Kynesgrove. There's an Inn near Kynesgrove. The Braidwood. I hear they serve a nice dark ale. Not that it would matter to you kids, or have anything on the Sleeping Giant of course. I'm glad you were willing to trust me. I know it was probably not the best way to introduce myself. But old habits… You know."

"Trust is a strong word." Dipper mentioned. "Let's just say that we think you won't kill us."

Delphine chuckled. "I know its not easy to wake up in a completely new world and be told that you are some kind of legendary heroes."

"Wait. You know we don't come from here?" Mabel asked. She nearly tripped over a stone.

"Of course. You never heard of Tamriel, Skyrim, the Dragons, Thalmor or anything else. This is very suspicious. But we can talk about that later. We have to reach Kynesgrove."

The trio nodded. After taking out the dragon, she'd answer their questions anyway, so there was no point in interrogating her now.

* * *

Half an hour later they were near the town. Running there really cut the time, but put a massive strain on them. They had to drink a good amount of stamina potions to not drop dead from exhaustion.

People ran around in panic, and they hoped that it wasn't to late. As the friends followed Delphine up the hill, they were approached by a young woman. "No, you can't go up there! A dragon… it's attacking!"

The group looked at each other. "Come on. Hurry. It might be to late." Delphine said and they followed her up the hill. The four took cover behind a rock and looked at the scene before them. A giant, obsidian colored dragon looked at the burial mount.

"This… This is the dragon that attacked Helgen." Dipper said in disbelief.

"What?" Delphine asked.

"And the one that destroyed Valtheim." Wendy explained. Everyone's attention turned toward the monster, as it began to speak.

 _"SAHLOKNIR! ZILL GRO DOVAH ULSE!"_ The voice of the monster echoed deep into them, as if every word send out a shockwave.

"Lorkhan's Eyes. Look at that big Bastard! Keep your heads down, let's see what it does."

 _"SAHLOKNIR! ZILL GRO DOVAH ULSE! SLEN TIID VO!"_ An actual shockwave left the dragon's snout, and went into the ground.

Mabel wanted to intervene, but Delphine pushed her back down. "Steady. I don't know what's happening. Let's watch and wait."

The ground shook, and dirt moved to the side as a skeletal dragon crawled up from the burial mount. " _ALDUIN, THURI! BOAAN TIID VOKRIIHA SULEYSKSEJUN KRUZIIK?"_ Muscles, flesh and skin appeared around the skeleton and gave the dragon a white-gray color.

"Shit." Mabel muttered. It was unusual to Dipper to hear his sister swear, but he couldn't agree more. They could take on one dragon, sure. But two, one of which is the one that attacked Helgen, and took out the entire empirial troops stationed there, were too much.

" _GEH SAHLOKNIR, KAALI MIR!"_ The obsidian dragon looked towards the group. It was obvious that he was fully aware of their presence. " _FUL, LOSEI DOVAHKIIN? ZU'U KORAAV NID NOL DOV DO HI. YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW OUR TONGUE, DO YOU? SUCH ARROGANCE, TO DARE TAKE FOR YOUSELF THE NAME OF DOVAH. SAHLONKIR, KRII DAAR JOORRE."_

With that the big dragon flew away, leaving the smaller, grayish one behind. Mabel shot lightning bolts after him, but missed. At least they now knew that their opponent was called Sahloknir, and of course who ressurected the dragons.

The one that was left behind took flight. _"I AM SAHLOKNIR! HEAR MY VOICE AND DESPAIR!"_

The four left their cover and charged into battle. Delphine took out a bow and shot at the dragon. Dipper did the same and hit the monster in the belly. The head of the dragon got hit by some Lightning bolts. Wendy stood back and waited till the dragon was in her reach.

" _FO KRAH DIIN!"_ Instead of the fire breath the other dragons used up to this point, Sahloknir used Ice. Dipper noticed that the first word was exactly the same as he knew.

Dipper jumped out of the way, and the ground got covered in a small film of ice. Another arrow from Delphine pierced the dragon's hide. It appeared to not be as thick as usual. Dipper guessed that this was due to the fact that the dragon was just resurrected, and thus weaker. The dragon landed and used his breath again.

" _FO KRAH DIIN!"_

Mabel and Dipper answered with their own Shout. " _FUS RO!"_ It had nearly no affect on the dragon.

 _"DOVAHKIIN, YOUR VOICES ARE NOT MATCH FOR MINE! FO KRAH DIIN!"_

Meanwhile, Wendy snuck around the monster, and attacked from behind. The Dragon yelled out in pain as the ax cut into his tail. The spot froze. Wendy instantly used her sword to do more damage. The dragon took flight again and shook Wendy off. She landed on the ground, with her weapons next to her.

This gave Mabel an idea, and she pulled out her grappling hook.

"What is this?" Delphine asked while aiming at the monster.

"Grappling Hook!" She yelled, and aimed at the dragon. The hook hit the spikes on his back and pulled Mabel toward the reptile. She got a hold of one of the spikes, and tried to burn the dragon's neck.

" _I SEE THAT MORTALS HAVE BECOME ARROGANT WHILE I SLEPT! MY LORD ALDUIN REQUIRES YOUR DEATH, AND I AM HAPPY TO OBLIGE HIM!"_

He tried to shake the girl off, but Mabel had used the rope of her grappling hook to tie herself to the spike. This gave her good aim at the monsters head and wings. She hit him with everything she got, while more and more arrows pierced the monsters hide. " _IT'S TO BE A REAL FIGHT, THEN. GOOD! FO KRAH DIIN!"_

His Ice Breath hit Dipper and Delphine, freezing both in ice. The woman already began to use an arrow to dig herself out. Dipper saw this, and began to do the same. The other breaths of Sahlokniir already froze a good portion of the battlefield. This just made it harder for Wendy, Dipper and Delphine to stay up. Well, for Wendy, as the other two couldn't move anyways.

Mabel began to burn the monster's wing, and Fus-Ro'ed his head. The dragon began to loose height, until he was only one meter above the ground. As he passed over Wendy, she took the chance and held up her sword, while tightening her stance. It cut into his belly, and through his entire body, so that the beast's underside was basically cut in half.

The Dragon crashed into the ground. It didn't seem to be dead however, and got up, blood all over his body. The ground itself was stayed dark red. It clearly lost energy fast, and tried to kill at least one of them. He used all his strenght to get to Wendy. The monster was clearly in pain. Wendy almost felt sorry for the thing. It tried to eat her, but she held up her shield, and blocked the bite.

The monster was greeted by an arrow, piercing his eye. He looked at the one who shot, and saw Dipper. He shot a second time and hit Sahloknir's head. Mabel had untied herself and made her way to the monsters head. It got engulfed in flames and lightning, and after some seconds the dragon stopped and fell down.

"I'll be damned." Delphine said, still frozen. Her one arrow broke as she tried to free herself. Mabel walked up to her, and started to melt the ice. "You did it! That was well done. Come on, I've been wanting a closer look at one of those buggers." The dragon's hide began to burn away. "Wait. Something's happening… gods above!" The Soul of the dragon left his body and was absorbed by Mabel and Dipper. Mabel didn't even react to it, and finished freeing her. "Thanks. So you really are… I… It's true, isn't it? You really are Dragonborn. I owe you some answers, don't I? Go ahead. Whatever you want to know. Nothing held back."

The three thought about some of the most important questions right now. The first one to ask something was Dipper. "What do you know about the… Thing that just happened?"

"Not a damn thing. I was just as surprised as you to find that big black dragon here." Well, this Q&A was of to a good start.

"We've seen that dragon before. In Helgen and the Valtheim towers." Mabel explained. "It seems to really hate us."

"Interesting. Same dragon…" Delphine thought for a second. "Damn it, we're blundering around in the dark here! We need to figured out who's behind it all. By the way. What was that thing you used to get up there?" She asked Mabel.

"Oh? This thing." She showed the 'weapon' to her. "It's a grappling hook. See, you pull the trigger and the hook shoots out." She shot it into the bushes, and a scream was heard.

"Where did you get a hold of something like that?"

"Back at home, me and Dipper fought a bunch of gnomes and our Grunkle Stan told us to take something from the gift shop afterwards. While Dipper took his hat, I chose this." Mabel explained.

"Is there anything else you have back home?" Delphine asked.

"Sure. See, this for example." Mabel pulled out her phone and handed it to Delphine. Dipper had his problems with Mabel being so honest, but it seemed like Delphine would be a person they'd have to talk to more often. In this case, it was best to be as open as possible.

The woman looked at the device. "What is this?"

"A phone. You can use it talk to people all over the world." Mabel explained.

"And how do you do that?"

"It doesn't work right now. It needs electricity." Dipper said.

"Ah." Delphine gave Mabel the phone back. "Can't you use spells for that?"

"Not really. To much of it could destroy it. And even if, I doubt that would have a connection here, useless you somehow managed to get satellites into orbit." Dipper said in a mocking tone.

This just confused Delphine more. "What are sattelites? Or an orbit?"

Dipper facepalmed. Explaining this would be like talking to a toddler. "Nothing." He pulled out his journal. "Maybe there's something in here that could help."

Delphine took it and flipped through the pages. "So this are monsters you have to deal with in your world? They don't look as vicious as ours. Especially this triangle." She showed them the page with Bill on it.

"Trust us, he's the worst." Dipper deapanned.

"Yeah. He can take over your mind." Mabel added, a bit to cheerful.

Delphine gave Dipper his book back. "There's nothing about the dragons in there. My best guess is that the Thalmor are behind this."

"Is there any way to be sure?" Wendy asked, and used a towel she brought from home to clean her sword.

The woman thought for a moment. "If we could get into the Thalmor Embassy… it's the center of their operations in Skyrim… Problem is, that place is locked up tighter than a miser's purse. They could teach me a few things about paranoia…"

"Dipper could help you out with that." Mabel joked. Her brother starred at her.

"And how could we get in?" Wendy asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I have a few ideas, but I'll need some time to pull things together…" She turned around, ready to leave. "Meet me back in Riverwood. If I'm not back when you get there, wait for me. It shouldn't be long. Keep an eye on the sky. This is only going to get worse." Thus, she left down the hill, leaving the three standing with more questions than answers.

"So… back to Riverwood?" Dipper guessed.

They began to run back to Riverwood, hoping that they would be there before it got dark.

* * *

Meanwhile, Miraak's henchmen came back from Shor's Stone. After finding the dead dragon at Bonestrewn Crest, they guessed that the dragonborn went to the town. There, however, they heard where they went.

"This was wasted time."

"At least we know that they are in Windhelm. We can get them there and directly move back to Solstheim." Assorn explained. "Admittedly, I hoped to see a bit more of Skyrim."

"What? This is a rotten shithole. It's cold everywhere, the people are drunk most of the time, animals attack you every second. Not to mention the dragons."

"I meant historical sights, like the Blue Palace, or Markarth. Also, I don't think we have the right to talk about that. Solstheim is half wasteland, half frozen." Assorn pointed out.

"You're aware that this isn't a vacation?"

Their attention shifted, as they heard a loud roar from up a hill. "I think they are there! Let's go!"

The two ran toward the Burial Mount, and hid inside the bushes. However, before they could even get a good look at the scene, something hard hit Tolgan in the head. He stumbled back, and tried to hold onto Assorn. In the process he pulled him down with him, causing both to roll into a mudpit.

They got up and were surprised at the sight of their master. He opened one of his magic portals to speak with them. "They killed another dragon." And, judging by his voice, he was more than frustrated.

"We know." Tolgan wiped mud from his arms. "We are already here."

Miraak looked at them. "It looks more like you are in a mudpit."

"Yes, yes. We got knocked out by a metal hook."

There was silence for a couple of seconds, before Miraak responded. "I'm not even going to question that. Bring me those damn dragonborn. And clean yourselves." He cut the connection, leaving both of his henchmen standing there.

Assorn shrugged. "So, what now?"

"Let's get back up. If we're lucky, they're still there." Tolgan said, and began to walk up the hill.

Assorn followed him. "When have we ever been lucky?"

The burial mount was abandoned. The only thing left were the skeleton of the dragon, bloodstains on the ground and footprints in the dirt. "Great. We're to late." Tolgan said dissapointed.

Assorn crossed his arms and smirked behind his mask. "I didn't want to say it, but I told you so."

"Shut up." Tolgan walked up closer to the skeleton, investigating it. "Seems like they cut open the beast's belly. They must be strong."

"Seems like it. They just took down one of Alduin's generals." Assorn added. "Where are we supposed to go now?"

"I'd say Solitude. It's possible that they're still heading for the city. We have to be careful when we find them." Tolgan looked at the dead dragon. "They seem to be a serious threat."

* * *

Meanwhile, the three were already on the way to Riverwood, and were closing in on Windhelm.

"You think I should put glitter on my armor?" Mabel asked, and looked at her attire.

* * *

"Right. They have to be some serious sons-of-bitches." Assorn added. "Now come on. I don't want to miss them again."

The two cultists left the burial mount, and began their way to Solitude. As soon as they arrived at Windhelm, they took a carriage, hoping that it would cause them to arrive before their prey.

* * *

The group arrived back in Riverwood just in time. It was getting dark already, and the moons were visible at the horizon. Like Delphine told them, they looked into the sky every now and then, and looked out for dragons. Thankfully, not one attacked them during their trip, the only hostiles were some frostbites, wolfes and a sabercat.

Delphine already waited outside the Inn. "I don't think you were followed. Come on. I have a plan." They followed her inside and back into the basement, where she leaned on her table. "I figured out how we're going to get you into the Thalmor Embassy."

"Sorry, but could tell us, like, what the Thalmor exactly are?" Dipper interrupted. "I think this is important information."

The woman rolled her eyes. "Of course. They are the faction that rules the third Aldmeri Dominion. The ones who almost destroyed the Empire during the Great War, thirdy years back."

Wendy snapped her finger. "Yeah, I have heard about that. The Empire had to accept some sort of Concordat."

"Yes. The White-Gold-Concordat. It outruled the worship of Talos, but saved humankind. There's no worse enemy to our species in Tamriel. The Empire barely survived the last war. And the Thalmor don't intend to lose the next one." Delphine clenched her fists.

"So, those Thalmor want humans extinct?" Wendy turned to Mabel. "Mabel? I think I won the bet."

Mabel muttered something, which was indomprehensible to the others.

"Why though?" Dipper wondered. "Why'd they want humans extinct? From what we saw, we seem to get along well."

"Those damn elves are supremacists. They think that they are better than anyone else. Even other elves, like the Darkelves, hate them."

"How many kinds of Elves are there exactly?" Dipper asked.

"Four important ones. The Aldmer and Bosmer, who make up the Thalmor. Then there are the Dunmer, which are the Darkelves. And lastly the Orsimer, or Orks. Then there are also the Dwemer, but they are long extinct. There are also the Falmer, but they are another story altogether"

"Orks are elves?" Mabel started laughing, which her friends tried to ignore.

"So, does 'mer' mean elve?" Wendy asked.

As a response, Delphine simply nodded.

Mabel wiped away the tears. "And why are they after you?"

"We're very old enemies. And if my suspicions are correct, they might have something to do with the dragons returning." She took a feather, and crossed off the burial mount they just visited.

"And what makes you sure about that?" Wendy asked.

"Nothing solid. Yet. But my gut tells me it can't be anybody else."

"Yeah, because gut feelings never led to anything bad." Dipper rolled his eyes.

"Listen, the Empire had captured Ulfric. The War was basically over. Then a dragon attacks, Ulfric escapes, and the war is back on. And now the dragons are attacking everywhere, indiscriminately. Skyrim is weakened, the Empire is weakened. Who else gains from that but the Thalmor?" Delphine explained.

This actually made sense. If the Thalmor are still out for mankinds destruction, then this would be a perfect plan. It was clear at this point that Skyrim's warriors were the strongest, so taking them out first would be a good strategy. "But why are they after you? What does old enemies mean?" Mabel asked, and sat down on a sack that was standing at the wall.

"Before the Great War, the Blades helped the Empire against the Thalmor. Our Grand Master saw them as the greatest thread to Tamriel. At the time, it was true." The woman shrugged. "Maybe it still is. So we fought them in the shadows, all across Tamriel. We thought we were more than a match for them. We were wrong." She tightened her grip on the table, and some wood splittered out.

The three friends looked at each other. It sounded like no side was completely without fault.

"So, what is your plan?" Mabel asked "Do we go in Ninja style? Or James Bond style? Or are we going Metal Gear?"

Delphine looked at Dipper with a confused look. "Ignore her."

She sighed. "The Thalmor ambassador, Elenwen, regularly throws parties where the rich and connected cozy up to the Thalmor. I can get you into one of these parties. Once you're inside the Embassy, you get away and find Elenwen's secret files. I have a contact inside the Embassy. He's not up for this kind of high-risk Mission, but he can help you. His name's Malborn. Wood elf, plenty of reasons to hate the Thalmor. You can trust him. I'll get word to him to meet you in Solitude, at the Winking Skeever. You know it? While you are doing that, I'll work on getting you an invitation to Elenwen's little party. Meet me at the Solitude stables after you arranged things with Malborn." She walked over to her shelves, and put her armor back inside. "Any questions?"

"Yeah, one or two." Dipper said. "First of, who is this Malborn. Can we trust him?"

She smiled. "Don't worry about Malborn. He hates the Thalmor at least as much as I do. He's a wood elf. The Thalmor wiped out his family back in Valenwood during one of their purges that we never hear about. Luckily, they don't know who he is, or he wouldn't serve drinks at the Ambassador's parties."

"Purges?" Wendy asked in shock.

"Yes. They purge people they don't like back in their Homelands. Has something to do with their blood, or race or something."

"This, this sounds familiar." Dipper muttered.

Delphine looked at him. "Really? How so?"

"Let's just say that we once had a group on Earth that did the same thing." Wendy said.

"Huh. Well, once you are inside, that's when the fun starts. You'll have to slip away from the party without raising the alarm. Then you'll need to find Elenwen's office and search for her files. Malborn should be able to point you in the right direction."

To Mabel, this sounded like fun. Trying to be stealthy was something different for once. It meant they wouldn't have to fight, and get out of there without any trouble. And at the same time, they could visit a party.

"And do we have to bring something along?" Dipper asked.

"It would be bad if you'd stick out to much. I hope you know how to deal with noble parties?"

"Yes, of course we do." Mabel said.

"We got experience." Dipper shrugged. "Somewhat."

The Innkeeper clabbed her hands together. "Well then. It's settled. You three head out for Solitude while I'll arrange the rest. Good luck."

They wished her the same thing and left the basement. It was already dark outside, and thus they decided to stay at the Inn for the night. On one hand, they felt good about the next day. They finally had a solid lead on the dragons. On the other hand, it also meant they'd stay away from Whiterun longer, and thus from home.

* * *

 **Yes, I realized that I got the name of one of the henchmen wrong last time. I honestly don't know how that happened. From now on though, it'll stay consistent.  
**

 **I also wanted to say thanks to all the feedback.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	21. Daedric Influence

Chapter 21: Daedric Influence

While Dipper, Mabel and Wendy where off to their missions, Pacifica was completely alone in Whiterun. Thankfully, the others have left a good amount of Septims for her. After waking up and eating, she went behind the house. She didn't want to admit it, but she was a bit jealous of Mabel's abilities, and wanted to try out some of it herself. Luckily, inside the book she found at Ustengrav, were some hints at how to use restoration magic. After half an hour of unsuccessful tries, she gave up. To get her head clear, Pacifica decided to take a look around the city. It was bigger than Riften, so much was clear. It also looked way better maintained. After a short walk, she went back home and looked into the mailbox. She found a letter. It was adressed at Breezehome, and send by someone called Farengar. She went inside, and opened it.

 _"Dear Dragonborn_

 _I've heard that someone from your past moved in with you._

 _I'd like to have a talk with her, seeing as she had a conversation with one of the dragons. Jarl Balgruuf also wanted to see her.  
_

 _Please, come to Dragonsreach as soon as you can.  
_

 _\- Farengar Secret-Fire."_

Pacifica didn't know what to make of this. She knew that this guy was the court-wizard, but nothing more. However, and more important, the Jarl wanted to talk to her, which in turn meant that she was invited to the castle of the city, and hold.

After thinking for a bit, Pacifica decided to eat first, and then go to visit him. With that, she went to the Inn and sat down at the counter.

"Ah, the Dragonborn's friend. What do you want?"

The blonde looked what they had. "Nothing big. A stew is enough."

"Alright, this would be twenty gold then." Pacifica gave the gold and, ten minutes later, got a bowl of soup.

While eating, she tried to have a bit of a conversation with the Innkeeper. "So, anything new in the City?"

"Been hearing some strange tales of the Jarl's children. Say the one's turning wicked, and the others have an ill-favored look to them. Best to keep clear."

This was interesting to her. Although her own parents were bad, she still had respect for them. "How fast has this been happening? Could just be a phase."

"Unlikely. Appearently it happened overnight." The Innkeeper looked to her side, and started to help out another customer.

This was weird. Pacifica played with the thought to find out how this could happen. She was going up there anyways, so she could just as well have a talk with one of the kids.

* * *

After finishing her meal, she made her way up to Dragonsreach. It reminded her a bit of home, seeing as it was a giant mansion. Inside, she instantly found the Jarl. At least she hoped that it would be the one sitting on the throne. She approached him slowly.

"So, who might you be?"

She bowed down. "I am Pacifica Northwest. And I followed your request for me to come here."

"Ah yes. You must be the friend of the Dragonborn then. Great to see you."

"Why did you call me here?" Pacifica stood up. She noticed how the darkelf near Balgruuf was starring at her. It seemed like she was ready for a fight, which led her to believe that she was something like his bodyguard.

"It's about my youngest son. He's a dark child. I don't know what to do with him. He was always quiet, but lately… something has changed him. He has become brooding. Violent. He won't say a word to me, but i don't know how I upset him. But, maybe you could speak to him? Someone his age has probably better chances at drawing out the truth. I would be immensely grateful."

"No problem. I will talk to him." The blonde salutated, unsure what the right gesture in this world was.

The Jarl smiled, and nodded. "Thank you. Now, I think Farengar asked for you?"

Pacifica went into the wizard's room, and was instantly greeted by an explosion. Farengar got up from behind his counter. "I'm sorry. Just a little mistake with a spell I'm working on." He took a piece of fabric, and cleaned his hands. "You must be the friend of the Dragonborn. My name is Farengar. I am the court wizard here in Whiterun."

She shook his hand. "You told me to go here. What is the problem?"

"Do you know how you got here?" The question took her by surprise. Didn't the twins make up a cover-up story?

"Uhm, how do you-"

"It wasn't hard to find out. Especially since there's no Island named Oregon." Farengar leaned on his counter, and looked at her.

Pacifica sighed. The story seemed to only work with less educated people. "Well, I was outside, and got struck by lightning. Next thing I know, I'm in the middle of a forest."

"Ah, just like your friends. See, I am trying to figured out what caused this events. I have the urging feeling that it has to do with the return of the dragons. That is also why I asked you here." He took a piece of paper and a feather to make notes. "Please, describe in great detail what happened."

"Like I said. I was outside and got struck by lightning. Then, everything went black."

"So, you didn't experience some kind of nausea? Or other effects of teleportation? Like you would, in case you got hit by a teleportation spell."

"Teleportation spell?" The blonde asked.

"Did your friends not tell you? We think that this whole mess was caused by one. There is nothing else I know that could cause multiple people to get transported to another continent."

Pacifica was confused by the term continent. It was pretty clear that this was an entire different dimension, even she had realised that by now. But maybe the others let the wizard in his believe to not cause any kind of trouble. Appearently their cover was still working, in a way. She'd have liked it if they had told her about it though. "No, I didn't feel sick. Anything else?"

Farengar shook his head. "No, nothing. You are free to go now. Thank you for your time."

With that, Pacifica left his room, and immediatly saw the Jarl's son. She hesitated for a moment, but then approached him. "Hey. I'm Pacifica."

The child seemed to analyze her with his look. "Nelkir."

"I've heard you'd became somewhat of a rebell lately?" Pacifica asked. There wasn't much of a point in talking around the issue.

"So the disgusting pig sent you to bother me? One day, I will tear his face apart so he can leave me alone."

"Okay then." Pacifica deadpanned "I'm just going to leave then." Pacifica was actually scared of the kid. He seemed very angry. She turned around, but was stopped by him continuing.

"My Father doesn't know anything about me. But I know about him. And about the War. More than he might think."

That actually sounded interesting to her. Not only could she get some information, but also find out what exactly upset the boy that much. "What do you know?"

"I know that he still worships Talos. That he hates the Thalmor almost as much as the Stormcloaks do. That he worries about being chased from Windhelm. That he… that I'm…" The boy paused for a moment. "...that I don't have the same mother as my brother and sister."

It sounded like this was the kids problem. On Earth, it was pretty normal for siblings to have different parents. But maybe this was different here, or at least for Jarls. She put a hand on the kids shoulder. "Hey. Can I tell you something? Where I come from, it is nothing special, or bad, to have different mothers." The kid smiled. "From where do you know all of this anyways?"

The kid began to whisper. "This castle is old. Lots of places nobody's been in a long while. Places where you can overhear things. See things. And the wispering lady."

That sounded suspicious. "Wispering lady?"

"She won't tell me her name. I've gotten good at listening to keyholes. At the door in the basement, I hear her talking to me. I thought I was caught, but she started telling me even more secrets. But I can't open the door."

The boy left, and Pacifica thought about it for a moment. Who could this lady be. The only options that entered her mind where a ghost or someone who is caught there. She could deal with both. She took a silver mirror form the table, and hoped that nobody saw it.

She didn't even do it for the Jarl, or his son. It was to prevent worse things to happen. What the child was saying seemed dangerous, especially if someone in power got to hear it. It could cause an entirely different war, or rebellion. And since Whiterun was the last city that wasn't involved in the Civil War, Pacifica felt save here. This was something she didn't want to change.

The blonde went into the basement and, after some searching, found the door in question. It looked different than the others, and was a bit reinforced. She had doubts that anyone could break through it, which in turn solidified her suspicions that someone was held captive here.

She heard a strange whistle, and put her ear on the wood. "At last. I've been waiting for someone more fit to carry out my will." Pacifica jumped away from te door in shock. For a whisper, the voice sounded, and felt, strangely powerful. "The child is spirited, but lacks… agency."

"Who's there? Are you trapped in there?" Pacifica asked.

"Regrettably, I cannot reach your plane so directly. But I forgive you for not knowing who I am. Few hear my whispers anymore. I am Mephala, the lady of whispers. I tug at the web of connections between mortals. Love, hatred, loyalty, betrayal. The boy was good at sussing out secrets. You, I expect to take a more active role."

That was a bit unsettling. So, was this woman some kind of deity, or interdimensional being? Pacifica didn't know, but whatever it was, maybe it was able to get them home. "So, what should I do?"

"First you must open this door. A piece of my power has been locked away behind it, and even my eyes can not see past the seals. I'd much rather it be in the hands of an ambitious person such as yourself."

"And how do I open the door?"

"The whole of Whiterun is ripe with paranoia and tensions. The Jarl's court is right to fear the power I hold behind this door. The Jarl trusts few, and they will be his undoing. The dark child knows of what I speak."

"Does that mean I should talk to Nelkir again?"

"Yes it does."

Although it sounded suspicious, Pacifica wanted to find out who this Mephala was. She seemed powerful, and having an ally like that could prove useful. Thus, she searched for the child again. When she found him, he looked like he was calmed down. Maybe her words actually helped him.

"You… you know the wispering Lady, don't you? I can tell."

Pacifica nodded "Do you know how to open the door?"

Nelkir looked around, and made sure that no one was hearing them. "I told you. I know everything about this castle. For some reason that door is special. Only two people can open it, Balgruuf and Farengar, the court wizard. How you get it from them is up to you." His sister called his name and he ran off, leaving Pacifica alone.

She now had to make up a plan to get the keys. Maybe if she was quiet, she could steal them. That was actually the only thing that came to her mind. She snuck into Farengars room, and tried to remain as silent as possible. After she snuck into the study, she saw Farengar taking a nap on the table. It looked like he worked to hard and fell asleep.

She carefully reached into his pocket and took the first key she got. Pacifica hoped it was the right one, and went into the basement. The key turned around easily in the door, and it opened. The room behind it was very empty. The only thing in there was a table with a book and blade.

She slowly went over to the table, and inspected the blade. It looked a bit like a Katana, and was surprisingly lightweight. Suddenly, she heard the voice again.

"Excellent work. Now, I trust you're sharp enough to see that the sword doesn't match the description of the ebony blade you may know"

Pacifica took some swings to test the weapon. She had to admit, it was kinda cool. And it was easy to handle, considering the size. "Question: What is the Ebony Blade?"

She heard how the voice sighed loudly. "Maybe the boy was a better idea afterall. Just listen. It has languished too long outside the winds of alliance and betrayal. To return its past glory, it must first drink the blood of deceit."

Pacifica was shocked, and dropped the blade. "What?"

"Your world is admirably seeped in lies and inclinations. My blade is a darling leech that feeds on deceptions, and nourishes its master."

Pacifica picked up the weapon.

"Seek out those closest to you. The final pluck of their misguided heartstrings will accompany my blade in the song of your grandeur."

"Forget it!" She yelled. "I'll never do anything like this!" To her dismay, the voice stopped. It clearly wasn't someone good. It sounded more like a demon than anything. Scared, and unsure what to do now, Pacifica took the book and looked through it. It was pretty torn up, probably due to spending much time in a basement.

 _"To anyone reading this: BEWARE THIS BLADE!_

 _It is hoped that the only people having access to this room should be the Jarl of Whiterun and his trusted Wizard. If anyone else is reading this, please understand the magnitude of your folly, turn around, and never even speak of this room or this blade to anyone. It has corrupted and perverted the desires of great men and women. Yet, its power is without equal- to kill while your victims smiles at you. Only a Daedra most foul could have concocted such a malevolent and twisted weapon."_

She closed the book, since the rest was to torn up to read. She thought about it for a minute. The blade appearently got stronger if the wielder killed allies with it. One thing was clear. She couldn't leave it here. Not only could anyone just take it, and do whatever with it, but she didn't even want to know what the Jarl would do if he found out that she stole from him and broke into his basement.

She tried to hide it behind her back and slowly made her way back to Breezehome. She hoped that nobody saw her and put the blade in a weapon rack, next to the greatsword. She thought about what to do with it. It certainly made a great decoration. Maybe she would just leave it here, and tell the others to not use it if they got back. Still, the blade itself was unsettling. However, she was determined to not fall for it. She just hoped that the whole thing wouldn't eventually come back and bite her in the ass.

* * *

Mabel woke up in an strange environment. She was in the middle of a town laying in ruins, on some sort of bench. The ruins were still smoking, and the air was full of ash and dust. She stood up, and began to walk around. There was no one here, except for herself. Sometimes, she could hear screams in the distance, but when she looked, no one was there. There was a roar in the sky, and she looked up. A giant dragon flew over her, and spit fire into the city.

"H-Help." Mabel looked to her right, and saw the source of the strange voice. It was a little boy, caught between some rubble. She ran to his aid, and pushed the rubble to the side. The boy was free, and Mabel used a healing spell to treat his wounds.

"Look at you." Mabel was surprised by the new voice, and looked up. To her shock, she saw herself, sitting on a wooden beam.

"What- but-"

"Calm down. I'm not here to harm you." The Pseudo-Mabel jumped down, and approached her. "I'm here to talk."

"What do you want?" Mabel asked. She looked at the sweater the other Mabel was wearing. It was completely black and grey.

Pseudo-Mabel looked at the boy. "You're helping him?"

Mabel shrugged. "Yeah. He needs help."

She began to laugh. "From the one who did all of this?" She casted a lightning bolt, and shot it at the boy, who was thrown into the burning building behind them.

"No!" Mabel wanted to help him, but the building collapsed. She turned around, and starred daggers at herself. "Why the hell did you do that?"

"You're using your powers all wrong."

"What?"

The other Mabel wrabbed her arm around Mabel's shoulder. "We can cast fire, raise the dead, strike down lightning and play with people's perception. Not to mention our Thu'um. And what are you using it for? Helping people? What did they ever do to help you?"

"That's not the point." Mabel answered. She was getting angry. "It's not about a reward. It's about doing the right thing."

"Come on. We could do so much more. We could take over Tamriel, or even better, Earth." She grinned. "No one would stand in our way."

"That's insane. Why should I do that?" Mabel asked. She was getting creeped out by the other her.

"Because you can. There's no reason not to do it. Imagine all the power you'd have." She gestured at the ruined buildings. "I mean, just look at what you've done to this place."

Mabel looked around, and began crying as she realised what the other her just said. "I did that?"

The other Mabel set on an evil grin. "You did. No one was able to stop you."

Mabel fell to her knees. "But- But all of those people, they were innocent."

"Tsk. That's preposterous. It's not about them being innocent. It's about the fun."

Mabel looked at her other self in horror. "Why would you say this?" She didn't get an answer, and decided to get herself together. This couldn't be real. "I won't take over the world. It wouldn't even work. We aren't powerful at all. Even one of the stronger Draugr could stop us, not to mention Wendy and Dipper. Wait, why am I talking like I already thought about it."

The other Mabel began to laugh again. "Because you did, honey. You just don't know it."

Mabel clenched her fists. "Who are you really? Are you Bill?"

"Bill?" Pseudo-Mabel laughed. "Good joke. I'm you."

Mabel stepped back. "What?"

"You remember how you lost control at the assassin? Or nearly killed Faendal? That was all me." The evil Mabel stepped up to her, and looked into Mabel's eyes. "I am you."

"No, that can't be."

"Everyone has his dark side, Mabel. I am all of your bad traits combined." She picked her up at her collar. "Your magic just made me, us, powerful enough to break out."

Mabel tried to get down. "No. Let me go."

"You can fight it as much as you want." She threw Mabel against a wall. "But you won't win."

Pseudo-Mabel wanted to leave, but turned around as Mabel got back up. "It's the magic, isn't it? It's corrupting me."

"Perhaps. Maybe it's just the power that comes with it." She shrugged. "I don't know." They heard yelling, and saw a guard running toward them. Half of his armor was stained black from fire. He held up his sword, but the Pseudo-Mabel dodged the attack, only to set his feet on fire. He fell on the ground, and she approached him. "The desicion is yours. But remember: I'm always gonna be here." She raised her leg. "And you won't be able to stop me." She crushed the head of the guard under her foot.

Before Mabel could reply, her other self was gone, and she was left alone in the burning ruins. She began to cry. Above her, the rest of the building began to collapse, burying her under rubble.

The next thing Mabel knew, she was back inside the Inn, in her bed. She looked around, and saw Wendy and Dipper. Both were still asleep. It was all a dream. Not that it helped. Needless to say, Mabel was scared. She didn't want to become like the thing she saw in her dream. She knew she had to do something.

* * *

During their, very early, breakfast, the group finally decided on a route to Solitude. It led through Flakreath, and then past Rorikstead directly to the capital. Thanks to the three settlements on the way, neither supplies or a place to stay would be a problem.

Mabel wasn't sure if she should tell her friends about her dream. She feared how they'd react, and what action they would take. Of course, Mabel knew that she'd have to confront it at one point, out wanted to push it as far away from her as possible. In the end, maybe that would cause the problem to disappear.

They left the town towards Helgen, and at one point took a path that would lead them to the western parts of Skyrim. The enviromnent didn't change much. The way still led through a forest, mostly made up of coniferous trees. It looked like those were the main kind of trees in this province. Occasionally, a rabbit or deer ran through the forest. The street passed by a giant lake.

Wendy opened the map to look up where they were, and guessed that the lake was the Lake Ilinalta, which was located north of Falkreath. "Dudes, we are already north of Falkreath. Should we still visit the place?"

The twins thought about it. They could go directly to Rorikstead, or visit Falkreath and get some food. They decided the latter, and went south at the next opportunity. Roughly thirty minutes later, they arrived in the town.

It was surrounded by a wall, not to different from the one in Riverwood. The buildings looked like they did everywhere in this land, built out of wood and stone. One thing that stood out instantly was the big house in the middle of the town, which was probably the place the Jarl was residing.

The friends walked through the town and searched for the Inn. Their supplies were a bit low, and they weren't sure if it would be enough for the trip. From what they could see, the town looked very quiet, although something strange hang in the air.

After some searching, they finally found the Inn at the other entrance gate. The shield read Dead Man's drink.

"This name gets your hopes up." Wendy pointed out.

"Yeah. I think they never heard of marketing here." Mabel added.

They entered the Inn, and went up to the counter. The Innkeeper greeted them and asked what they wanted. The group bought their supplies, and left the Inn. Outside, someone who looked like blacksmith was approaching them. "Hey. Can I ask you something?"

The three exchanged some looks. "Sure. What is it?"

"Good. Have you seen a hound on the road? A fine, strong creature that's been wandering near town."

Mabel shook her head. "No, we didn't. Why?"

"I could use a fierce, loyal beast to keep me company."

"No problem. We will look out for it." Dipper promised. They were about to leave, but Dipper still wanted to ask him something. "By the way, what side is this town on?"

"You mean in the Civil War?"

The dragonborn nodded. "Yes."

The blacksmith shrugged. "The City, or me at least, is on Dengeir's side. The empire second." He seemed to analyze them. "Only hearty souls travel the road these days. The war bleeds Skyrim. It bleeds her dry and I think none of us are the better for it. Men and Women join the war, they travel far on these roads to spill each others blood."

"You are not to fond of the war, aren't you?" Wendy asked.

The smith nodded. "No one is. Especially in Falkreath."

"I mean, the city seems quiet." Mabel said, and gestured to the rest of the town.

At that, the man led out a small chuckle. "Only inside the Gates. Much of Falkreath Hold is wilderness and there's plenty of trouble to be had."

Wendy sighed. "That's just great. What's out there?"

"Frostbites, wolves, sabercats, spriggans, and recently dragons."

"Thanks for the warning." Dipper said, and they walked off. "And we will watch out for a dog."

"Thank you."

"Hey, why did you ask him?" Wendy asked Dipper as they walked up to the gate.

"Huh?"

"About the war. I thought we wanted to stay out of it."

"We are about to break into an embassy. I just wanted to know whom we can trust, in case we piss one of the two factions off." The boy explained.

Wendy nodded. That sounded like a good idea. However, it also made her realize that their current goal was pretty dangerous. Not only would the Thalmor kill them, if they found out, but it could also make them enemies with the whole empire. And seeing how they like their beheadings, that certainly wouldn't be a good thing.

* * *

Outside the city, it didn't take long until a dog actually ran up to them. Its fur had a gray color. Mabel instantly went on her knees to pet it.

The animal seemed to enjoy it, and took the petting for a minute, until it did something none of them expected. "I appreciate the petting. You are exactly what I was looking for."

The three jumped back, and were unable to close their mouths. "I think I'm high. Or drunk. Or both." Wendy muttered.

"Skyrim is now host to giant, flying lizard and two-legged cat-men…" The dog seemed to shake his head. "and you're surprised by me? Yes. I just talked. And am continuing to do so."

Mabel slowly turned her head toward her brother. "Dipper? Did I take the Smile Dip again?"

He continued to stare at the animal. "No, we can hear it too."

"You see, my name is Barbas. And I have a problem I think you can help sort out."

Dipper chuckled. "What do you need help with? Catching a cat? Finding a Hydrant?"

"None of that. My master and I had a bit of a falling out. We got into an argument and it got rather… heated. He's kicking me out until I find someone who can settle our disagreement." Barbas made the best puppy eyes he could. "And that's where you come in."

"Well, we would like to, but we have a strict schedule. We have to be in Solitude in, like, two days." Wendy explained, and was already about to leave.

"Yes, I understand. But if you want to help me, you can find me at Haemar's Shame."

"Where's that?" Mabel asked.

"You have a map?"

Wendy nodded, and pulled it out. The dog put his paw on the map, and showed a region close to Helgen. "Isn't it, like, super cold there?"

The dog nodded. "It is."

"I got an idea." Mabel said. "What if you stay with us 'til we have the time? We could give you food, you'd have a warm place to stay..."

"I like that idea." The dog answered, and began to wiggle his tail. "Where do I have to go?"

"Whiterun, in Breezehome. Our friend will be more than happy to take care of you." Mabel began petting the dog again. "Do you wanna do that, little puppy?"

"Puppy? Very funny. My Master is Clavicus Vile, Daedric Prince of wishes. As you can imagine he is quiet the important person."

Dipper looked at the dog in confusion. "So, you're royalty?"

Barbas thought for a moment. "Kind of. Well, I'm off to Whiterun then. Goodbye friends." The dog ran off, and disappeared in the plant life.

"So, we just made friends with a talking dog. Anyone wanna talk about that?" Wendy asked. She still couldn't fully believe what just happened.

"How was he even able to talk?" Dipper thought out loud.

"Don't know." Mabel shrugged. "Maybe he is magic." Her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh. We just met an magic puppy prince."

Wendy and Dipper both stared at Mabel. "I… I guess?"

"Can we go?" Wendy asked, and pointed at her wrist as if she was wearing a watch. "We still have to be in Solitude in time."

Her friends nodded, and they continued their way toward Rorikstead. This was already one of the weirdest days they had.

* * *

In Whiterun, Pacifica was still thinking about the sword. It worried her, and she regretted her decision to bring it here. She had thought about hiding it somewhere, but was unable to find any place where it could fit, and never be found again. It even crossed her mind to open up the floor and put it under the wood, but neither did she know how to repair it afterwards, or how to open it in the first place.

She was ripped out of her thoughts as someone knocked at the door. The girl opened the door, and was surprised to see a dog standing there. It ran past her, and sat down on the floor. "Uhm?"

The dog looked at her, and turned his head to the side. "Hey, I'm Barbas."

Pacifica jumped back in shock. "What the hell?"

"Why is everyone surprised about a talking dog?" Barbas sounded like it was a daily occurence to him.

The blonde waited a moment to collect her thoughts. "Why shouldn't I be?"

The dog curled up on the ground. "Anyway, can you give me something to eat? I'm hungry."

"What? No! Why should I?" Pacifca answered.

"Because your friends said so."

Pacifica realized what that meant. "They send you here, didn't they?"

Barbas nodded. "Can I have my food now?"

The blonde sighed, and walked over to the kitchen, where she searched through the supplies. "They are finding more and more ways to make my life harder." She pulled out a raw steak, and gave it to the dog, who started eating.

While he did that, Barbas looked over to the weapon rack. "Is that the legendary Ebony blade?"

The Northwest starred at the dog in surprise. "You know about it?"

"Sure. Powerful artifact, property of Mephala. How did you get it?"

She sat down, and looked at the ground. "I guess I stole it? Wait, do you know how I can get rid of it?"

"That's simple."

The blond began to smile. Finally, she could get rid of the damn thing.

"You can't."

And her smile turned into a frown. "But- But I have to get-"

"Whatever you'll try, it won't work. Trust me. We Daedra are deities. Such are our artifacts. Only a couple of them are able to get destroyed."

That surprised Pacifica. The last thing she expected about the dog was him to be on of those Daedra. "You are a Daedra too?"

"In a way." The dog picked up the rest of the steak and, again to Pacifica's surprise, put it into a sack. At least the thing kept clean after himself. "I'm the dog of Clavicus Vile, but also, technically, part of him. It's complicated."

Pacifica leaned back in her chair. "Great. I messed up big time, didn't I?"

Barbas sat down in front of her. "Well, if you got enough willpower, it may not affect you."

That caught her interest. "What happens if it does?"

"Then you'll betray those close to you." As if he was scared, the dog took some steps back.

"Ugh. Can't you help me out? With hiding it, I mean?"

Barbas seemed to think about it. "Sure, why not."

* * *

 **And the 21th Chapter is up.**

 **In case anyone wonders, yes, Barbas is gonna be more important of a character than in the game.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	22. Between Falkreath and Solitude

Chapter 22: Between Flakreath and Solitude

The road led through more forests and past the big lake. They were able to see the remains of a castle on the other shore. A couple of feet later, they reached a mill. It looked quite peaceful.

Instantly, they were approached by a nord woman, who ran the mill. "Ah, travellers. Do you want to come in? We could eat something."

The friends exchanged some weirded out looks. "Uhm, okay? Is something wrong here?" Dipper asked.

The nord looked normal, except one little detail. It seemed like her eyes glew red. "No no. It's just that thanks to the war, there haven't been many visitors here. I'm feeling kind of lonely."

"Awww. We will eat a bite with you" Mabel suggested. She wanted to step forward, but was stopped by Wendy.

"I don't know." Wendy said.

Judging from her expression, Dipper guessed that she noticed the eyes too. "Something seems off."

"Come on. She is just lonely." Mabel said, pleading that Wendy would let her.

"Yes, I am just an lonely, nord woman." In that moment, someone yelled from the saw.

"Honey! The saw is broken." She facepalmed.

"I thought you were lonely?" Mabel asked. Now she also thought that something was off.

"We. We are lonely." It sounded like the woman started to panic.

"And why are your eyes glowing?" Dipper pointed out.

It looked like the woman was frozen. Either it was a touching subject, or something bad was going on.

"Yeah. Good question." They all stepped a foot back.

"We are just gonna leave…" Wendy slowly said as they began to walk away.

"No! Stay here!" The woman screamed behind them, and they began to ran. The woman ran after them, but tripped over a stone. She seemed to be crazy.

When the three friends were sure they lost her, they stopped and catched their breath.

"That was weird." Wendy said.

"Yeah. Maybe we should tell the next guard we see."

Mabel nodded. "Good idea." She looked around, and put a hand to her ear. "Hey, does someone else here moaning?"

Dipper kept quiet and listened. Indeed, there was a fate sound of moaning. "It comes from up there." He pointed towards a little dirtpath leading up a hill.

"Someone may be in trouble." Mabel suggested. "Let's go."

They ran up the path and saw someone sitting on a log. He held his side, and blood was all over the open wound. It only took a second until he noticed them. "Hello? You! Over here! Please, I need help." They immediatly walked up to him. "Please, do you have a potion you can spare? Please! I'm not sure I'll make it on my own!"

"Of course. Wait a sec." Mabel searched through her bag, and pulled out a red flask. "Here, drink this."

He took the bottle and drank it with one sip. The wound closed, and he got back up. "Thank Kynareth for you, strangers. I'd almost given up hope of walking away from here."

"No problem. We are happy to help." Dipper answered. "So, what happened here, and who are you?"

"Name's Valdr. I hunt out of Falkreath. Me and my comrades tracked a bear into this den." He pointed towards the cave that was to their right. "Good coin for those pelts. We had a big sow cornered when they showed up. Three of them, out of nowhere. Spriggans. Niels went down before we even knew to run. Ari died just inside. I never even thought the things were real."

Mabel put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss. But at least you are okay again."

"I can't just walk away. Not with my friend's bodys in there, being torn apart by those beasts"

Dipper saw the face Mabel made, and already knew what she would offer him. "Maybe we can help you?"

"You?" The man laughed. "I'm sorry, but you are only kids. What could you possibly do?"

"Well, do Spriggans have a weakness?"

"Yes, fire. Why?" Mabel used her Flame Spell and lit her hand on fire. "Oh, you are a mage? I suppose you could help." He turned towards Dipper. "You. What can you do?"

"Oh, my brother is pretty good with the bow." Mabel explained.

"An Archer, eh? We two can stay a bit in the back and provide cover. Well then. Lets go."

While they entered the cave, Wendy asked the Hunter what to look out for. He explained that Spriggans are pretty fast, and that they use their claws to inflict poisons. Wendy hoped that her armor would hold up against their claws. After all, she was the one who'd get up close to them.

The first part of the cave was definitely different than expected. Instead of a dark, dead hole, it was a little forest itself. Some short trees grew here and there, and the entire ground was covered by vegetation. Even sunlight shined through the roof.

"This is beautiful." Mabel said with big eyes.

"It may be, but be careful. Those Spriggans could attack at any time." They heard a roar, and saw the beast the hunters were after: A big, darkgrey bear. It charged at them and was instantly greeted with two arrows hitting its head. It stumbled back and looked towards them.

Mabel used a spell and threw lightning bolts at the animal. It collapsed on the ground. "Good. First monster down. Keep going."

At first, Mabel and Dipper were a bit confused that he didn't care about the bear, but then again, he was a hunter, and the thing got his friends killed.

Just a few steps later, the first Spriggan attacked. It's appearence surprised the three. They expected some kind of ferocius animal, but instead it looked strangely human. The body consisted of wood, with green energy moving beneath it.

The creature instantly attacked. Wendy received the first blow, but the claws merely scratched her armor. She countered the attack with her ax, and cut off its hand. The monster screached, and received some flames to the upper body. Its screach got louder, and two arrows hit the body. Another axstrike hit it in the chest, and the monster collapsed.

"You can take some of its wood with you. It is great for alchemy." The hunter suggested. Dipper walked up to the spriggan body, and took a loose part of the wood. It felt strangely warm, as if pure energy moved through it.

"So, what are those things. Living trees?" Dipper asked and put the wood in his bag.

"Forest spirits. They attack anything that they think is harmful to the forest. Men, Mer. Even Bosmer, and they live in trees. Come on, we are nearly there." He walked up to the place the bear came from, and kneeled down. He moaned. Dipper looked over his shoulder and saw the body of a women, pretty torn up. The hunter got up again. "Now, we need to go there."

He pointed towards a path under a fallen tree. They walked through the pass and found themselves at a little lake. Sunlight brightened it up, and trees grew around it. And two more spriggans attacked, and cut the four in two groups. Dipper and Wendy fought one, while Mabel and Valdr had trouble with the second one.

Wendy tried to cut off its hand again, but the spriggan got out of the way fast enough. It shaked however, as an arrow from Dipper pierced its leg. Like the hunter warned them, the creature was really fast. In a second, it covered the distance between the two and swiped at Dipper. The claws only scratched his armor, but got stuck between two plates. The spriggan used the chance and picked him up. It held up its other hand and tried to rip him in two, but lost grip when a sword pierced through its abdomen. It got back and let out a loud screach. Wendy and Dipper had to cover their ears, and saw that a black mist appeared around the creature and flew towards them.

It took a moment for them to realise that this was a swarm of insects. The little creatures would have got into their armor and given them a painful death, if they would not have been burned down in front of them. Mabel and Valdr had already defeated the second one, and went over to help them. The burning insects spread out in all direction. Some hit the Spriggan, which made it pretty pissed. It was hit with flames too, and was finished by an arrow from Dipper.

Like the other one, it broke down. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Dipper got up, and dusted himself off.

"How did you kill yours so fast?" Wendy asked while she got her sword back.

"Fire. Your sister really did some good damage against it." Mabel blushed at the compliment from the experienced hunter. "It's done, then. Justice, if you can call it that." The Hunter reached into his pocket, and pulled out a dagger. "Look, I want you to have this. I know it isn't much, but it's important to me." He handed it to Mabel. "Ari gave me this dagger when we first started hunting together. Always said it brought her luck. You should be the ones to carry it now."

"Thanks. We'll hold it in honor." Dipper said. He wasn't sure any of them would actually use a dagger, but if the Hunter wanted it so badly, then there was nothing they could do.

"And what are you going to do now?" Wendy asked.

Valdr looked at a corpse, which was leaned against a wall. "I'll give them a proper burial, then head back. Come find me if you're ever in Falkreath. You'll always be welcome at my door."

Without another word, he left. "So, this was a thing." Mabel said, and they made their way to the entrance themselves.

"We have a new weapon at least." Wendy pointed out and took the dagger. It looked quiet expensive, and also glew, which meant it was enchanted. "We can put it somewhere in Breezehome. It could make great decoration." She suggested and put it in the bag.

* * *

After leaving the cave, the forest quickly disappeared, and the wide, open plains of the Whiterun hold covered the east. To the west were the mountains of the Reach hold, with an old castle build on top of one. Thanks to the plane area, the groups was able to already see Rorikstead in the distance.

It was a very small town, not much bigger than Ivarstead, and appearently lived from farming. Multiple goats, cows and chicken walked around in their enclosures, with vegetable farms between them.

With the sun already setting, they walked into the Inn. Thanks to the sign outside, they knew it was called the Frostfruit Inn. The friends bought their dinner and a room and sat down on a table.

While eating, Mabel pocked Dipper in the side. "See this guy over there?" She looked to another table, where someone else sat and ate. "He has looked at us several times."

Dipper shrugged. "And?"

"And I think something could be up. Maybe he is a thief or something."

"And you say I'm the one with trust issues?" Her brother replied, and continued eating.

At that moment, the guy stood up and approached them. "Just in case something happened, I told you so." Mabel whispered.

"You look like you've seen your share of adventure. I envy you that." The man said, much to Mabel's surprise.

Mabel smiled. "Uhm, thanks."

The stranger paused fo a second. "Can I hear some of them?"

Wendy shrugged. "Of course. Want to sit down?" He took seat and listened to the tales the three told him. They talked about the time their pig got captured by a Pterodactyl, how Dipper fought the ghost in the Northwest Mansion, and how they cleared Bleak Falls Barrow. They tried to not tell stories that may confuse him, or give them any unnessecary attention.

After the third story, he sighed. It looked like he was sad.

"Hey, everything alright?" Wendy asked him.

"I want to be an adventurer like you, but my Father says I can't. He says that I need to stay here and work the farm, and even if he did let me be an adventurer, we could not afford to buy armor. His name's Mralki, and he's the innkeeper here." He looked up, and at the three. "Maybe you can change his mind."

"Don't worry. We can do that." Mabel said. "No one should be held back from living his dreams. Except if one's dream is being a serial killer."

He smiled. "I hope you can change my fathers mind. He can be a little stubborn."

Mabel stood up and went up to the counter. "Yes, want something to drink?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk with you about your son." Mabel said, and sat down.

He looked up. "My son? Erik? What about him? Did something happen? Is he alright?"

"No, no. Nothing of that. You know that he wants to be an adventurer?"

He shrugged. "Yes, why?"

"Well, I think it's time that you should let _him_ decide what to do with his live."

"But the world is a dangerous place. Erik has no idea what he's getting himself into. What's more, he's got no armor. I'll have to save up the money for it."

Mabel had an idea. "Wait, let me see." She opened the bag they had their money in , and counted 100 Septim. The rest was either spent for food and armor, or left in Breezehome. And the money they had was for buying supplies. "Okay then. I will look if I can find something."

The Innkeeper shrugged and got back to cleaning some mugs.

Mabel apologized by Erik. Although the other two did not suspect anything, she had a plan. If there was no money for armor, they would just have to get one through other means.

Later that night, while Dipper and Wendy were asleep, she went into the main room of the Inn. It was very dark, and even the Innkeeper fell asleep on the counter. The only cutomer inside the inn was an imperial soldier, who passed out over a bottle of mead.

She used her Magelight Spell to make light, and opened the map. Mabel looked around Rorikstead to find somewhere she could get some armor. An old castle or ruin would have been perfect, but there was nothing like that. The best places she found were a Shrine of Akatosh and something called Talking stone camp.

With those places in mind, she left the Inn and the town. The young Dragonborn wanted to be back before sunrise, and went up the hill to the shrine. It was made out of a bronze statue on a stone pedestal. In front of it laid a big scale and a book. She figured that, if she was unable to find any armor, she could give this stuff to the two and they could sell it, so she put the two things in her bag.

The next location was the Camp. The giant bonfire was clearly visible in the night. It could have been easy, if it wasnt for the owners. A Giant walked around the fire, while another one took a nap at a stone. A bit to the north was a chest standing next to a treestumb. The camp was surrounded by rocks, which could provide cover.

Mabel figured that, if she could be quiet enough, there was a possibility that she could reach the chest from the rocks without being seen. She waited until her magelight stopped glowing and made her way down to the camp. Like planned, she snuck around the stones and towards the chest. Thanks to the darkness, she was able to reach it without being seen.

Opening the chest as quiet as possible, she found what she looked for: A piece of Iron armor. Of course it wasn't an entire set of armor, but it could get down the costs immensely. She held up the armor with two arms, took the 254 gold from the chest, and began to get back to Rorikstead. She crossed the mountain again and directly got back down to the road.

The armor was pretty heavy, and she wanted to get back as fast as possible. Once on the road, she noticed a foul smell. Thus, she hid the armor in a bush and followed the stench, only to find a house. Two skeever ran around outside, and attacked once they saw the girl. They were grilled quickly and Mabel got closer to the door. Two more skeevers jumped out of the straw laying besides the entrance, but also got dispatched fast. Mabel couldn't really believe how they were actually somewhat afraid of them during their first days here.

She held her ear at the door and knocked. Nobody answered, and she looked at the handle. The door wasn't locked, and she decided to look if everything was okay.

The inside was a complete mess. Clothes, food and other stuff layed around everywhere, with two skeevers searching through it. They jumped at her, but fell down once they got shocked by electricity.

Finding the source of the smell wasn't hard either: A dead body on a bed. He had bite marks all over his body. Appearently his house got overrun by the skeever, as he was asleep. She tried not to look at it. Sure, she had seen plenty of deaths recently, but dying in your sleep was just to cruel. Not to mention that the bitemarks seemed infected, which made the sight even worse.

However, Mabel also saw a chest, and lockpicked it. Inside, she found a bit of gold and a hat. The Dragonborn decided that the hat should stay here and took the gold. The Guy could not use it anyways. She took the armor out of the bush, and headed back to Rorikstead. There, she slept the rest of the night.

In the next morning, her two friends got up first and already ate their breakfast when Mabel left the room. Instead of sitting down, she immediatly searched for Erik, and found him sitting in a corner. Thus, she approached the innkeeper and put the armor on the counter.

He was surprised by the sound, and looked at Mabel. "Uhm, what?"

"For your son. You said you couldn't afford any armor, so there you go. Also…" She searched for the money she found at the giants camp and put it on the counter too. "… this is for the rest."

"You would give your own coin and armor to help my son?" The man asked with an equally happy and surprised tone.

"Actually I searched for the armor last night and found it at a giants camp." Mabel pointed out.

"I'm moved by your compassion. Your kind deed will not go unrewarded, my friend. Tell Erik I've changed my mind, and we'll visit Whiterun soon to get the rest of the armor."

She nodded and went up to the innkeeper son. She patted his back. "Guess who is going to be an adventurer."

Erik made big eyes. "What? Did you convince my Father?"

"Hey, I promised you that I would help."

Her friends approached her, and mentioned that they'd leave in a minute, and that they packed something for her to eat along the way. Mabel told them that she'd come in a second, and turned back to Erik.

"I'll hope you'll come back to Rorikstead soon and pay me a visit. Maybe we can swap stories about our adventures over a mug of ale the inn!" Excited, he got up and ran to his father.

Mabel smiled. Helping with little problems like that was a good feeling, no matter what her mind said to her. She walked up to her friends, who were waiting for her at the door.

"What was that all about?" Wendy asked, and opened the door.

"Nothing. Just a little something I helped him with."

"How did you convince his dad?" Dipper asked, and handed his sister her food.

"I stole some armor and money from a giant." Mabel answered, and opened the package. Inside was a bread, together with some vegetables.

The eyes of the two widened in disbelief. "Okay. How?" Wendy asked.

"I snuck into their camp last night and searched through the chest." The two looked at each other. They had problems with believing that, and shrugged it off.

"Also, I think he just offered me alcohol." Mabel pointed out.

"Yeah, I'm not even going to touch on that." Dipper replied, and without another word, they left the town, heading towards Solitude.

* * *

The way after Rorikstead let through the surrounding hills, and later over a river. A bit down the road, the group was able to see a bridge overarching the road. A little camp was built around the road, with wooden palisades as a wall.

They guessed it was some kind of watchtower, or patrol station, and moved through. After all, they didn't have any problems with that aound Riften. Why should the Empire be any different.

As they reached the camp, someone approached them. Wendy didn't like that. It seemed way to familiar.

"Hey! If you want to pass, you will have to pay a toll of one hundred Gold."

"What? Why?" Wendy asked.

The man seemed to get angry. "Just give us the money, or else…"

"Okay, calm down." Mabel looked at the money they had left, and noticed that it was only 98 Gold. "Sorry, we don't have the money." She apologized, and tried to put on her friendliest smile.

"Okay then." An arrow hit the ground besides them and the bandit charged at them with his sword.

"Crap!" Wendy blocked the attack with her ax.

The other two tried to find cover from the arrows, but their way was cut off by a bandit who activated a rockslide trap. Now they were stuck there with the bandits. The three archers on the bridge took aim again.

 _"_ _FUS RO!_ _"_

The Shout of the twins caused them to stumble back, and one nearly fell from the bridge. Mabel used her Lightning Bolt spell to attack them, and they got into their own cover.

Wendy had her own problems with the other bandit. He wasn't that skilled with his sword, but it was enough to give her a run for her money. Another strike hit her armor, and left a cut on the metal.

She kicked him in the leg, but only hit hardened leather. The light armor of his was enough to hold back kicks and punches, but a good hit with a blade could cut the armor open easily. She ducked under the next swing, and tried to hit the bandits legs with her sword at the same time. The bandit cried out in pain as the blade cut into his flesh.

Dipper and Mabel had enough to do with the two archers. They got back on the bridge, making it harder to hit them with the Spells. Due to their high ground, it was still possible for them to hit the two. Arrow after arrow hit the ground around them. One hit Mabel and got stuck in her armor, while two others bounced off Dippers heavy armor, making him glad that he chose to wear it.

He tried to take aim at the bandits, and shot. The arrow hit, and one of the archers cried out in pain, as he fell from the bridge. Dipper needed a moment to realize that he just killed someone. Again.

The other two bandits took aim. They couldn't dodge forever, so much was clear. He had an idea though, and looked at his sister.

"Mabel. Light 'em up."

Mabel grinned. "With pleasure."

The bandits shot, but the arrows were incinerated by Mabel's fire, which hit the bridge and set it on fire. The bandits yelled and cursed, as the flames consumed them. One of them even tried to flee, and jumped down, only to fall on the ground face-first.

Dipper looked at his sister in shock. "I meant the arrows!"

Mabel looked, herself slightly horrified, at the bandit on the ground. Flames were still burning on him. "I'm sorry." She muttered. "Although, you could have been a bit more specific."

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Come one, let's help Wendy."

The sword wielding bandit had his problems with standing up. The blade had severly damaged his muscles, and the bone wasn't in the best condition either. The weight of the sword wasn't helping, and with every swing he nearly fell. Wendy blocked another swing with her shield. She countered with a strike to the left, which left the bandits defense open. The things the companions told her were a good help.

Wendy used the possibility and rammed her sword through his chest, killing him.

 _"He was just a murderer, maybe even worse. If he would have been caught, his punishment would have been death anyway."_ She thought to herself, as she sheathed the now red stained blade.

Now she could help her friends, and turned around, only to see them running towards her. Two dead bandits were behind them, and the bridge was on fire, which slowly moved toward the palisade. "Did you do this?" She asked them.

"Yeah, I feel bad." Mabel said.

"You don't have to. They tried to kill us, remember?" Dipper said to his sister. She took a quick glance at the bandit she just killed.

Suddenly, two more bandits charged at them from inside the maincamp. "Oh, come on!" Wendy yelled.

One of them used a warhammer, while the other one was equipped with a Battleaxe. The strikes would be heavy hitting, but slow. Dipper took aim while they still ran and hit one of them in the chest. The armor held back the arrow though.

Wendy duck under the first strike, but got hit with the warhammer. The hit felt like taking a gunshot at the chest, and all air left her lungs in an instant. Her armor dented under the force, and she flew back into a rock. While she got back up, another strike hit the rock next to her. She looked around for her weapons, which fell down a short distance to her right. Thus, she tried to uppercut the bandit, but his helmet prevented it from being a heavy hit. It still took him by surprise, and he needed a moment to realize what happened. It was enough time for Wendy to roll to her right, and grab her weapons.

The twins haven't been better off either. The other bandit wasn't an easy enemy. Dippers arrows just bounced off from his armor, and the flames from Mabel didn't do much damage. Whilst hey were fighting, the fire from the bridge slowly took over the camp, setting everything flamable on fire.

The bandit's Battleaxe cut over their heads.

 _"WULD!_ _"_

Dipper dashed behind the bandit, an jumped on his back. He tried to stab an arrow in his back, but the armor was way too heavy. Mabel had a risky, but maybe saving idea. A purple ball appeared in her hand, and she threw it at the bandit Wendy killed.

He got up, and charged at the heavy armored bandit. He was taken by surprise and wasn't able to get out of the way. A blade impaled his shoulder, and appearently cut open some bindings, as parts of the armor fell off. He cried out in pain, only to get stabbed in the shoulder by an arrow. He already had a massive bloodloss, and knew he couldn't take this much longer. Thus, he tried to hit Dipper with his ax. It worked and Dipper fell off his back. His Armor had a big cut over it, but would still hold together. The bandit turned around, only to see his camp completely burning. Still, he tried to make a run for it, but was hit by a shout. He stumbled, and got impaled by the undead bandit.

Wendy had a hard time getting out of the way of the bandits warhammer. Blocking was impossible against a weapon like that, even with her shield, so she had to rely on her agility, which was way better than the bandit's. She jumped over a low strike and threw her ax at the guy. The impact caused his head to freeze, but the weapon wasn't enough to open his armor. He tried to scrape the ice off, but stopped as an sword blade impaled his abdomen.

He fell down dead, and Wendy took back both weapons. Then she saw the undead bandit. If it wasn't for the purple glow around him, she would have attacked him.

The twins approached her, catching their breath. "So, was that every bandit?"

"I think so." Wendy said. "Come on, we have to get out of here, before reinforcements arrive." Wendy looked over to the zombie. "What is with that guy?"

"I just raised him from the dead." Mabel said, with a bit of proudness in her voice. Just then, the spell stopped, and the zombie turned to ash.

"Wait, I thought you couldn't control your zombies?"

"I thought so too. Now that I think about it, maybe the skeever wasn't even dead." Mabel mentioned.

In the camp, a shack broke down, and the flames grew. "Yeah. I think it's time to go." Dipper pointed out, and they began to ran.

* * *

The three ran until they knew that they were safe. And this place came in form of a bridge, with a town behind it. It was gigantic, with arches all over it. Dragonheads looked over the bridge, which span over a deep ravine.

The town itself was very small. It consisted of only a couple houses, plus one woodmill. But instead of having some downtime here, they witnessed another fight.

An orc and two guards fought two mages. It was clear that the mages weren't on the good side of things. People that wear black robes never are.

Like out of instinct, Wendy ran in to help. But as she was there, the two mages have already been taken care of. Now, the three noticed that the orc had a strangely advanced weapon: A crossbow.

He approached the group. "You three there. The Dawnguard is looking for anyone willing to fight against the growing Vampire menace. What do you say?"

The friends were taken by surprise. "Uhm, aren't we a bit young?" Dipper pointed out.

"I've seen you fighting those bandits. Not only do you have skill, but you are Dragonborn. We could use people like you."

They didn't even want to know from where the Orc watched them, or why he didn't help.

"And, those two…" Mabel pointed at the dead mages. "Were they Vampires?"

The Orc nodded. "Yes. So, what do you say?"

"To be honest, I haven't noticed any Vampire menace…" Dipper mentioned. The only thing close to it was the creepy lady outside of Falkreath. And now that he thought about it, her being a vampire made a lot of sense.

"You're not paying attention then. Like most everyone else around here. Haven't you heard that he Hall of Vigilants was destroyed by vampires? They never took the threat seriously, and now they've paid the price."

"But vampires aren't evil. They are friendly, and often fall in love with teenage girls." Mabel said, and started to sink into her dreams. She received starres from everyone.

"Well, if you would have seen any other vampires than the ones in those dumb movies, you would have known." Wendy and Dipper said in unison.

"Hmph." Mabel said, and crossed her arms.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Vampires are the abominations Molag Bal created, and they feed of the mortal." The Orc explained.

"So, they are immortal?" Dipper asked. If there was really a problem with vampires, this was the perfect opportunity to learn about them.

"Not quiet. They can't die of age, but they can be killed." He looked at his crossbow. "A good bolt, or blade is enough to do the trick. So, what do you say?"

"Well, helping people against vampires sound like a good thing." Dipper muttered.

"Are you kidding me? It sounds awesome!" Wendy yelled in excitement.

"Well then. Get to Fort Dawnguard. It is south of Riften. I'll see you there." With that, the Orc left.

"Did we just accept?" Dipper asked.

Wendy thought about it for a moment. "I think so. Though, I think our current mission has priority."

The others nodded and they looked around the town. There wasn't much to see, and they quickly left again. The only notable thing was the imperial army, which was very prominent here. They explained that this was an important strategic position, since the bridge was the main way of getting into this part of Skyrim. The trio told them about the bandit hideout, and two guards moved out too take care of it. The Commander even gave them a good amount of gold as thanks. Now they only had to reach Solitude, which was luckily not far away.

* * *

 **And Chapter 22.**

 **The idea to put the events in a couple of smaller "Mini-Stories", was inspired by the Gravity Falls episodes where they do the same. There was too much interesting stuff between the two cities to only pick one, or make a couple of smaller chapters.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	23. The definition of insanity

Chapter 23: The definition of insanity

The road behind Dragon bridge was fairly short. It followed a giant cliff, which led down into a big river. That the city was in the north of Skyrim was obvious though, as the temperatures got colder and colder.

Along the way, Dipper heard a female voice in his head. "New supplicants approach. Listen. Hear me and obey. A foul darkness has seeped into my temple. A darkness that you will destroy. But first, yout must restore my beacon. I shall guide you unto it. Find it and return here, and great shall be your reward."

He looked around, searching for the source of the voicer. However, he saw no one. The only point of interest was a gaint statue of a woman deeper in the woods. Was it the source? "Hey, did you hear this too?"

Both girls looked at each other. "No? What?"

"I think someone just spoke to me…"

"Maybe you are just loosing your marbles?" Mabel joked.

Dipper crossed his arms. "This isn't funny. It told me to find some kind of beacon."

Wendy shrugged. "Just don't listen to it."

He sighed. "Okay. Good Idea."

He still had a weird feeling in his gut. It was the same feeling back when they met Barbas, but he shrugged it off for now. It was probably just an hallucination from the tiring day.

* * *

Not much farther, and the unsettled territory disappeared. They saw mills, stables, a giant dock, and Solitude. From the outside, the city looked very majestic. It was build on a giant stonearch, and shielded by massive stone walls.

A broad way led up to the citygate, and passed through the first wall. The guards let them in without problems, but what they saw inside was more than a surprise.

A man stood cuffed on a stage, and a big crowd had gathered in front of it. Two people stood besides the man, one was a soldier, the other one obviously an executioner. A familiar block of wood layed before him.

"Are they executing him?" Mabel asked.

"I think so. This is like Helgen all over again." Dipper replied.

"I will look out for dragons then, okay?" Wendy said, half joking.

"Positions!" The soldier yelled at the executioner and the man who was about to loose his head.

The three looked at the city-gates, and noticed the two people form Ivarstead entering the city. Thus, they moved a bit into the crowd to not stick out to much.

"Lock the City gate!" The soldier yelled, and a guard locked it down.

* * *

While the trio hid inside the crowd, the two cultists looked around the city. "And you are sure they are here?"

"You have heard the Shout too. They need to be here." Assorn replied.

"This was way back before Dragon Bridge. Why do you think they are here and not in Markath?" Tolgan asked, and looked at the stage.

Assorn stopped for a moment. "How in Oblivion would they have gotten to Markath from there? Solitude is the only place they could have gone."

"Well, even if they are not here, I can at least get something from the shops." Tolgan said.

"You mean like a statue?"

"Yeah, like that. So, do you want to see the execution?"

Assorn looked at his friend. "No, I don't. Can we just look around the city. I want to see the blue palace."

Tolgan shrugged, and both walked deeper into the city.

* * *

The trio overhead their talk, and where now sure that they searched for them. While they were here, they would need to lay low.

Everyone's attention went up the stage, as the soldier began to speak. "Roggvir. You helped Ulfric Stormcloak escape this city after he murdered High King Torygg. By opening the gate for Ulfric you betrayed the people of Solitude."

"So, he is a Stormcloak?" Dipper asked Mabel.

"I guess so. Although I don't like that they put it like Ulfric murdered the king" She replied, a bit angry.

Dipper stared at his sister.

"Traitor!" Someone in the crowd yelled. Dipper gestured towards the source of the voice, to make it clear to Mabel that she shouldn't say things like that here.

Now, Roggvir spoke up. "There was no murder! Ulfric challenged Torygg. He beat the High King in fair combat!"

"Liar!" Someone yelled.

"Such as our way! Such as the ancient customs of Skyrim, and all Nords!" The crowd began to boo, except for Mabel and her friends. The trio felt pretty uncomfortable right now. Only Mabel seemed to get a bit angry.

"Guard! Prepare the prisoner."

Roggvir scoffed. "I don't need your help." The prisoner got on his knees and put his head on the log. "On this day… I go to Sovngarde."

With that, the ax fell down and cut his head clean off. The three couldn't look at it. As soon as the head hit the ground, the crowd broke up and all the people got back to work as if nothing happened.

"So, is this something normal here?" Wendy asked, more herself than anyone else.

"It wouldn't surprise me." Mabel answered. "Still, I hate how the Empire warps the story."

"Mabel. Stop. You don't know what happened. None of us do." Dipper replied.

"And why should Ulfric lie?" Mabel asked.

"Because he's leading a war, Mabel. He wants as much people on his side as possible, especially the Dragonborn." Dipper explained. It seemed like his sister understood.

"I guess you're right. Maybe we can ask the High-King? Ghosts exist, right?"

Her friends stared at her. "I will remember that if we find his ghost." Dipper deadpanned. "Now, where is this winking Skeever?"

None of them had the nerve to search through the entire city now, so they just asked someone on the market. The man pointed towards a building directly next the gates. The group was a bit embarassed that they didn't see it.

They opened the door, and saw a familiar face sitting at a table.

"Soos!" Mabel, Dipper and Wendy yelled and ran to him. He was just as surprised and hugged all of them at once.

"Dudes! I'm glad you are okay!"

"Soos. Air." Dipper said, and was already getting blue. Thankfully, Soos let go. "We too. How did you get here?"

"I was working on the golf car, as-"

"Lightning struck you?" Wendy guessed.

"Yeah, how did you know? Did you gain telepathy?"

"Same happened to us and Pacifica." Dipper mentioned. "So, what did you do here since?"

Soos pointed at some imperials enjoying a drink at a table. "Those soldiers gave me a job at the smithy. Great dudes. And you dogs?"

"Well, we explored some ancient tombs, fought bandits, killed three dragons, and found out that we are some kind of ancient heroes." Mabel explained. "We also met a talking dog."

"Cool. You guys are like the protagonists in some kind of RPG."

"Yeah. Kind of." For some reason, Dipper got a bit of a headache. "So, where do you live?"

"In the barracks of the army. I can't really afford a house." Although it was possible that he wasn't making enough money, it was just as possible that Soos spend all his money on food, seeing as he didn't loose any weight.

"Maybe you can come to us?" Mabel offered.

Soos' eyes widened. "Really? Where?"

"You know where Whiterun is?"

"Course I do. I will go rent a carriage. Bye dudes." With that, Soos left, and nearly ran over a cutomer.

"Man he's fast." Wendy mentioned.

"Shouldn't we have told him about Pacifica?" Dipper asked.

"Nah, they will be fine." Mabel replied. They were glad that they met their old friend, and sending him to Whiterun wasn't a bad idea. That way, they'd eventually have everyone in one place. However, Breezehome could get a bit crammed.

"So, where is Malborn." Dipper asked. They looked at the other people sitting in the Inn. Only one of them was a woodelf, which made the search pretty easy. They approached him and sat down. "Hey, Delphine send us."

He looked at them. "Really? You are the ones who she picked? I hope she knows what she's doing." He put his glass on the table. "Here's the deal. I can smuggle some equipment into the embassy for you. Don't plan on bringing anything else with you. The Thalmor take security very seriously. Give me what you can't live without, and I'll make sure it gets into the Embassy. The rest is up to you." He drank the rest of his drink, and already wanted to leave. Wendy, however, held him down.

"Hold on, we need to talk about that."

He sighed loudly, and sat back down.

"So, any ideas?" Dipper asked.

"We should bring something to defend ourself, just in case." Mabel said.

"Maybe the dagger this hunter gave us…" Dipper muttered.

Wendy nodded. "Good idea. We should also give him your's and Mabels armor."

"What's with you?" Mabel asked.

"I will distract them at the party. The chances that two get caught is way smaller than three."

That sounded logical to Dipper. Having someone to distract everyone was a good plan. "Okay, so our armor, the dagger, what else?"

"Potions? Some magicka and health ones?" Mabel suggested.

"Yeah, that too. This would be it then." Mabel and Dipper got out of their armor and gave it, the dagger and some potions to Malborn.

"Okay then. I will meet you at the party. Go and find Delphine tomorrow evening at the stables. Little tip though: Your clothes won't fool anyone." He pointed at Mabel's sweater, which had the picture of a puppy on it. "Go to the Radiant Raiment across the market. Endarie there can make you some appropriate clothing."

"And she will help us?" Dipper asked. He wasn't sure what to think of the fact that they had a day to spent in this strange city.

"Yes, just tell her Malborn send you. I have already talked to her about this, just in case you wouldn't have the right clothes." He left, and the three followed his lead.

* * *

The shop wasn't hard to find, as it was just on the other side of the Inn. Inside, they were instantly greeted by the owner of the shop . "Oh, what a delight. More charming customers."

"Malborn send us." Dipper mentioned.

She instantly got serious. "Oh, so you are Delphines spies? He was right. Those clothes really don't fit. Come in this room. I will look at you size and make something appropriate."

They followed her into the adjacent room. It was full of materials and tools to make all sorts of clothes. The Altmer tested how big the clothes would need to be, and asked what people would wear back home.

The friends explained her what a suit and dresses were on Earth. She nodded, and told them to come back tomorrow.

Thus, they left. On the marketplace, they spotted the Bonemask-guys again. One of them pointed at the trio and ran up to them. The trio got ready for everything, but were surprised that he stopped in front of them. Appearently just to catch his breath.

"Hey, nice to see you guys again." He said.

"Uhm, hi." Mabel replied.

"You know, your lead back in Ivarstead has been very helpful."

Dipper was confused by that statement. "Really?"

"Yes, since then we have been on their tail for days." It seemed like he looked at Mabel. "You are a mage, right?" Mabel was suprised by this question.

"Yes? How did you-"

"I, myself, am a mage." Fire appeared in his hands. "I know a fellow mage when I see one. Wait." He searched through his stuff, and pulled out two books.

"Here, I found those along the way. I already know them, so they could help you more than me."

One of the books had the rune for destruction on it, the other one the rune for Restoration. "This one is called Ice Spike, and this one Healing hands. It allows you too heal others."

Mabel opened both books, and learned the spells. She smiled at the guy. "Thanks."

"No problem. Take it as a thank you for your help." The four looked towards the gate, where the other one waved. "Sorry, no time to chat. I have to go."

With that, he left. The trio wasn't sure what to think. They lied to them back then, but in the end it helped. Those two really were searching for them. And if they were actually bad, then they had to look out. Still, they didn't seem to dangerous, and a bit too friendly to be real bad guys.

* * *

With the evening coming closer, and the day coming to an end, the friends rented a room in the Inn, and slept through the night. The next morning, they sat down at a table, eating their breakfast while discussing what to do today. Dipper and Wendy wanted to visit the Imperial army, to make sure they weren't the bad guys the Stormcloaks made them out to be. Dipper also heard of an shop that exclusively sold arrows, which interested him.

Mabel, however, wanted to see more of the city, and thus decided to walk around town. The town was old, so much was clear to her. All of the buildings were made out of sturdy stone, but other than in Windhelm, there was green everywhere, and the town on the whole seemed more happy and wealthy. Thus, encountering an completely insane person was the last thing she expected.

The man was actually a pitiful sight. His clothes were dirty, and he clearly had a hard time behind him. Mabel wanted to ignore him, and walked past the hobo. "Wait, hear my plea!" He yelled. Mabel sighed and decided to listen. "My master, he is lost between worlds and I cannot bring him back!"

To Mabel, that sounded like some sort of spell went wrong. Or like the events involving her uncles. Nonetheless, she felt sorry for him, and wanted to help. "Okay, calm down. What's going on?"

"My master has abandonded me! Abandonded his people. And nothing I say can change his mind. Now he refuses to even see me. He says I interrupt his vacation! It's been so many years... Won't you please help?" He looked at her pleading.

"Sure. What do I need to do." In her opinion, that guy reminded her of McGucket. Only a bit more insane.

"Last I saw him, he was visiting a friend in the Blue Palace." At least that was a location Mabel knew. "But no one as mundane as the Jarl. No, no... such people are below him. No, he went into the forbidden wing of the palace, to speak with an old friend. Said it had been ages since they last had tea."

"Okay. No problem. I'll look for him." Mabel assured him. The whole thing sounded like it involved a ghost, so nothing she couldn't deal with. She noticed how he pulled something out of his bag. To her surprise, and shock, it looked like a bone.

"Here. You'll need this hip bone to get in. It's very important. No entering Pelagius' wing without that." He gave the bone to Mabel, who reluctanly took it.

"Uhm, okay?"

"I thank you so much!" The man replied, and ran away.

Mabel wasn't sure what to do. It sounded like a problem, and she wanted to help. And how complicated could it be? It was only a little talk she'd have to do, nothing more. And find a reason for the hipbone.

* * *

Meanwhile, Wendy and Dipper made their way up to Castle Dour, where the imperial legion had their headquarters here in Skyrim. Outside in the yard, soldiers were practicing their aim, as well as their skills with melee weapons. Inside, however, were only a couple of guards around. However, there was also a big table, with a map of Skyrim on top. And two familiar faces stood around it.

For once, there was the General, who commanded the soldiers at Helgen. Then there was the female soldier, who send them to the chopping block. Both seemed to be in a heated conversation.

The two slowly approached them, and Dipper coughed in his fist. The General turned around, and looked down in surprise. "Hello? Do I know you?"

"Uhm, my name is Dipper Pines. I think we met at Helgen. Kinda."

The woman looked around. "By Shor's Bones. It's the Daedra."

Dipper facepalmed. "I'm not a Daedra. Neither is my sister."

"Yes, the desicion of Legat Rikke over here was a bit hotheaded." The General said, and gestured to the woman. "I'm sorry for the events that transpired."

"Thanks."

"If you want to know, Haddvar has put in good word for you." Rikke mentioned.

Dipper smiled. It was good to know that their old friend was still helping them. "Well, that's actually all I wanted."

"What?" Both soldiers looked surprised.

"An apology." Dipper answered.

"So, nothing else?"

"I don't know. Is there anything to discuss?"

"Well, yes." Rikke said, and stepped forward. "Do you know anyhting about the dragon attacks?"

"Not really. All I..." Dipper looked at Wendy. "We know, is that they are getting resurrected."

"Resurrected?" The General said. "Rikke? Is that part of your Nord legends?"

"Not that I know. Although I'd have to refresh my memory a bit."

"By the way..." Wendy added. "Is it true? That Ulfric killed the King?"

Rikke sighed. "Yes, and no. It depends on your viewpoint, and the rules you go of off. Additionaly, no one know exactly what happend that night, so the details are a bit foggy."

Dipper looked at Wendy. "So, you're not fighting the war for that reason?"

"No. The Empire is about to fall apart thanks to that damn rebellion." The general replied. "And if it does, the Thalmor will strike, and wipe us out once and for all. We need Skyrim, and Skyrim needs us. Only that this doesn't go into Ulfric's thick head."

Wendy and Dipper exchanged some looks. The whole situation seemed to get more and more complicated.

* * *

Mabel was sneaking around the Blue Palast, searching for the forbidden wing. To find it, she tried out every door she could find, until one wasn't opening. When the door in question came, Mabel had to think about opening it. Sure, she could always try to steal a key, but how big were the chances of success? Still, there was also another idea. She held her hand at the door, and tried out one of her new spells.

The icicle followed the inside of the lock, and she only had to turn her hand to unlock the door. Used right, even destruction spells seemed to be useful for other stuff. The inside of the wing, however, was not how she expected it to be. It wasn't visited in a long, long time. Cobwebs were in the corners, and a thick layer of dust was on every piece of furniture.

And the sudden feeling that came over her wasn't helpful. In front of her eyes, reality warped itself, and she suddenly found herself in a strange land. A mist hung over the valley she was seeing, with lone trees here and there. More strange, however, was the long table that was standing in the middle. At it sat two man. One of them looked miserably, while the other one was dressed like a gentlemen. His suit, or robe, was purple on one, and red on the other side.

She decided to listen to the conversation the two were having. "More tea, Pelly my dear?" The gentlemen asked.

"Oh, I couldn't. Goes right through me. Besides, I have so many things to do... So many undesirables to contend with. Naysayers. Buffoons. Detractors. Why, my headsman hasn't slept in days." Needless to say, Mabel had a hard time following the conversation.

"You are far too hard on yourself, my dear, sweet, homocidally insane Pelagius." Mabel let go of the bone for shock. Was she dead? Or in some sort of purgatory? "What would the people do without you? Dance? Sing? Smile? Grow old? You are the best Septim that's ever ruled." Mabel was shocked again. That man was a ruler? "Well, except for that Martin fellow, but her turned into a dragon god, and that's hardly sporting..." And there was that thing again. Right now, Mabel accepted that one of the previous emperors turned into a god. It being a dragon god was new to her, however. "You know, I was there for that whole sordid affair. Marvelous time! Butterflies, blood, a Fox, a severed head... Oh, and the cheese! To die for."

"Yes, yes, as you've said, countless times before..."

It seemed like that angered the gentlemen. "Hafrumph! Well then, if you're going to be like that... Perhaps it's best if I take my leave. A good day to you sir. I said good day!"

"Yes, yes, go. Leave me to my ceaseless responsibilities and burdens..." With that, Pelagius vanished, and the bone with him. The other man sat down, and looked at Mabel. She wondered how long he knew that she was here.

"How rude! Can't be bothered to host an old friend for a decade or two."

Mabel walked up to him, unsure what to make of the guy. "Uhm, I'm here to tell you something."

He became excited. "Reeeaaalllyyyy? Ooh, ooh, what kind of message? A song?"

"As much fun as a musical number would be, no."

"A summons? Wait, I know! A death threat written on the back of an Argonian concubine. Those are my favorites."

Mabel didn't know what to respond. The guy seemed insane. And she wasn't sure if he just called her a concubine or not.

"Spit it out, mortal. I haven't got an eternity! Actually... I do. Little joke. But seriously. What's the message?"

Mabel had to collect her thoughts. That man was the most insane one she ever met, but he also seemed like someone who'd be dangerous if you got on his bad side. "Listen, all I know, is that there are appearently people that want you to come back from..." Mabel looked around, trying to figure out where she was. "I don't know... wonderland?"

The man yawned. "Yaaawwwnn... Oh, pardon me. Were you saying something? I do apologize, it's just that I find myself suddenly and irrevocably... Bored!" Mabel sighed. "I mean, really. Here you stand, before Sheogorath himself, Daedric Prince of Madness, and all you deem fit to do is... deliver a message? How sad."

She was surprised by that. She didn't expect him to be a Prince, and a daedric one at that. Maybe he knew Barbas. However, it seemed like every one of them had a theme. And madness surely was fitting here. "Okay, so you're a Daedra. Can you tell me where we are?"

"Inside the mind of Pelagius, silly. Oh. Is it your... first time?"

"Actually, it's not the first time I'm in someone's mindscape." Mabel explained. "Now, are you coming?"

"Now that's the real question, isn't it? Because honestly, how much time off could a demended Daedra really need?"

"I don't know. A week? Maybe two? Do you guys have a union?"

Sheogorath thought for a moment. "Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to leave. That's right. I'm done. Holiday... complete. Time to return to the hum drum day-to-day. On one condition." Of course there had to be a catch. There always was. "You have to find your way out of here."

Mabel at first thought that this would be easy. She was in the mindscape, so all she'd have to do was to wait until he woke up. Then it hit her. He was dead, so he probably wouldn't wake up. "And how am I getting out of here?"

"Care to take a look around?" Mabel looked at the landscape, and noticed three ways going away from the table. "This is not, I dare say, the Solitude botanical gardens. Have you any idea where you are? Where you truly are?"

"In Pelagius' mindscape." Mabel answered.

"Exactly. Welcome to the deceptively verdant mind of Emperor Pelagius III. That's right! You're in the head of a dead, homicidally insane monarch. Now, I know what you're thinking. Can I still rely on my fancy spells? Sure, sure. Or... you could use..." He reached under the table, and pulled out a long staff. "The Wabbajack! Huh? Huh? Didn't see that coming, did you?" He gave Mabel the artifact.

It looked like it was made out of wood, with insane faces on top. Other than that, it could just as well have been a stick. It also was surprisingly lightweight. "And now?"

"Take a path. Go on. I'm waiting, Mabel."

"You know my name?" Mabel asked.

"Sure I do. I know everyone's name. Now go."

Mabel shrugged, and took the first path. In her head, she could hear Sheogorath talking to her. "You've headed down the path of dreams. Unfortunately for you, Pelagius suffered night terrors from a young age." Mabel entered a valley. There was a bed next to a single tree. On the bed, someone was sleeping, and she guessed that this was Pelagius. "All you need to do is find something to wake our poor Pelagius up. You'll find his terrors easy to repel... but persistant."

She thought for a moment. There wasn't much she could do right now, so she decided to zap the sleeping Emperor with the Wabbajack. A light appeared on the tip of the staff, and a wolf appeared as soon as she hit him. "Oh, come on." She already wanted to use a spell, but then remembered what the Daedra said. She used the staff on the wolf, and it turned into a goat, which made her chuckle. She already liked the staff. However, it didn't seem to be done, and she once again hit him with the staff.

Something worse than the wolf appeared: A bandit. She attacked with her sword, and Mabel managed to block it with her staff in the last second. She activated the Wabbajack, and turned it around quickly. It changed the bandit into a child, who sat down on the ground. She catched her breath, and once again used the staff on Pelagius.

This time, something that looked like the love-child of an old witch and a raven appeared. It was probably the single most ugliest thing Mabel had ever seen. She immediatly zapped the creature, and it turned into a young woman, who sat down on the bed, and started stroking Pelagius' face.

"Okay. I don't wanna see this." Mabel said and zaped him again, without looking. Once again, a monster appeared: A woman made entirely out of fire, not too different from Spriggans. Mabel zapped it immediatly, and it turned, to her surprise, into a bonfire.

The next, and last thing, to spawn was some sort of ghost. It was wearing a mask, and robes. For some reason, it looked like a Draugr to her. She zapped it, and it turned into a chest behind the fire. Finally, Pelagius woke up, and sat down at the fire, together with the child, the goat and the woman. It looked like a small, happy family. "Well, now that's something to crow about." Sheogorath said.

"It's peaceful. I like it." Mabel commented.

"With Pelagius up and about you're moving right along. We'll both be home in no time."

Mabel rolled her eyes, and left the valley. In the middle, the Daedra was sitting at the table, eating. He looked at her. "What are you waiting for? Go on!" She nodded, and entered the next path. The last thing she expeted today was to play psychiatrist.

The next valley was a lot more interesting. In it was some sort of arena. Another woman sat across her. "Oh, good choice." Sheogorath commented. "Well, good for me. I find everyone being out to get you so terribly entertaining. You might find it... less so. You see, Pelagius' mother was... well... let us say 'unique'. Although, I suppose in the grand scheme of things, she was fairly average for a Septim. That woman wielded fear like a cleaver. Or did she wield a cleaver and make people afraid? I never get that part right... Oh, but she taught her son well. Pelagius learned at a very young age that danger could come from anwhere. At any time. Delivered... by anyone."

Mabel looked down into the arena. There was a small Pelagius, fighting what seemed like a creature made out of electricity and stone. "The objective here is simple, you simpleton! Use your Wabbajack defeat the enemy, while they do the same!"

She shrugged, and used the staff. It turned Pelagius into the same creature he was fighting. "Oh, I know how that works." Mabel yelled. "It's a Pokèmon Battle! Sheogorath? Can I have a cap?" Like asked, one appeared on her head, and she turned it backwards. On it was a shooting star. "Okay, let's see. Those things are probably stone and electric types. That means this could go on for days. However..." Mabel used her staff, and her monster turned into one made out of Ice. "Okay, Ice types aren't helpful." Surprisingly, the other one turned into a creature made out of fire. "Especially against a Fire Type." She zapped her monster again, and it turned into a fire monster too. As a response, the other one turned into a monster made out of stone again.

"Ugh. This isn't going anywhere." Mabel sighed, and had an idea. It was a bit unorthodox, but this was the mind of a madman afterall. She aimed at the two bodyguards next to he opponent, and they turned into wolves.

Mabel looked away, as the animals teared her opponent to shreds. "Oho! I never thought you'd figure it out. With the threat gone, Pelagius is now under the delusion that he is safe, which means you've helped him out... sort of. And we're much closer to home."

Mabel began to walk back. "How many more tests are there?"

"One more. To be honest, I'm beginning to like you, kid. You got creativity, and aren't the most boring person either."

"Uhm, thanks. By the way, you aren't related to someone named Bill Cipher, are you?" Mabel joked. Then again, it wouldn't be too strange if it was true.

Sheogorath laughed. "Oh no. I hate that jerk."

"That makes two of us. Actually, three. my brother hates him too." Mabel said, and entered the middle. There was only one way left to go.

The next way didn't lead to anything big, only to two people fighting. The weird thing was, one was gigantic, while the other one, Pelagius, was tiny. "Ah, now this is a sad path. Pelagius hated and feared many things. Assassins, wild dogs, the undead, pumpernickel..."

"What?" Mabel asked, but was ignored.

"But the deepest, keenest hatred was for himself. The attacks on himself can be seen here fully. They are always carried out on the weakest part of his fragile self. The self-loathing enhances Pelagius' anger! Ah, but his confidence will shrink with every hit. You must bring the two in balance."

"Okay..." Mabel muttered. She aimed at the bigger figure, which was probably his anger. It shrunk him to regular size, and Mabel hit it again. It got as small as the confidence. She thought for a second, and then hit the smaller figure. It grew and grew, until the roles were reversed.

"Wonderfully done. Pelagius is finally ready to love himself... and continue hating everyone else."

"Great. Can we go now?"

"Come to the middle."

She sighed, and followed his lead. In the middle, he offered her a seat. She accepted, and sat down. "I've fixed him. Can we please go now? This place gives me the creeps."

"Hmmmm... 'Fixed' is such a subjective term. I think 'treated' is far more appropriate, don't you? Like one does on a rash, or an arrow in the face."

Mabel had her doubts that that last one worked. Even with her healing spells. "Seriously, I wanna go back."

Sheogorath gave her a plate full of food. "Here take some cheese."

"No. Let's go. Now." Mabel said. In the distance, she thought for a moment that she saw the other her, staring at the two.

"Alright, alright. I don't wanna upset the dimension travelling dragonborn. Little tip: Try to treat your little mental problem. Or do you want to end up like old Pelly here?"

Mabel was, once again, surprised at the Daedra's knowledge. "You know about that?"

"Pelagius Septim III, once the Mad Emperor of Tamriel, now so boringly sane." Mabel got annoyed with him. It seemed like he just ignored her. "I always knew he had it in him! Well, I suppose it's back to the Shivering Isles. The trouble Haskill can get into simply boggles the mind... Let's make sure I'm not forgetting anything." He stood up, and looked around. "Clothes? Check. Beard? Check! Luggage? Luggage! Now where did I leave my luggage?" At that, the man from Solitude, who got Mabel into this whole mess, teleported in. Appearently, he was the luggage.

"Master! You've taken me back! Does this mean we're going home? Oh, happy times! I can't wait to..."

"Yes, yes, that's quite enough celebration. Let's send you ahead, shall we?" Sheogorath snapped his finger, and the man vanished. The madman turned towards Mabel. "And as for you, my little mortal minion... Feel free to keep the Wabbajack. And the cap. And the cheese, if you want to."

Mabel smiled. At least she got something out of this. And the Wabbajack seemed like an awesome weapon. With it, she could turn enemies into peaceful beings, and wouldn't have to take them out. However, there was something else. "Uhm, how am I supposed to get back?"

The Daedra sighed, and opened a portal.

* * *

In Solitude, Dipper and Wendy came back from the castle. There wasn't much of a conversation to be had, since Tullius and Rikke had more important things to discuss. Still, what they found out was pretty interesting.

The arrow shop, however, was nothing special. He mostly had arrows made out of iron and steel, which they had enough of. Now, the two were in their room in the Inn, waiting for Mabel. She was late, and none of them knew what took her so long. Dipper was about to leave and look for her, as a portal suddenly opened in the room. Mabel stepped through it, carrying a staff, and wearing a cap over her helmet.

"What. The. Fuck." Wendy muttered, not understanding what was going on.

"Hey guys." Mabel greeted them.

"Where have you been?" Dipper asked.

Suddenly, an old man looked through the portal. "Oh, you must be her friends. Friends of my friends are my friends too. Here, have a fishstick." He gave Dipper one, and then disappeared.

"What?" Wendy muttered, still unable to make any sense of this.

Mabel smiled. "Yeah, it has been a long day. To make it short, I was inside of a dead man the whole day."

There was an awkward silence for a good minute.

"What the fuck." Wendy finally spoke.

"Yeah, that came out wrong didn't it?" Mabel said.

"I don't know if you can make this sound right." Dipper deadpanned.

"What I meant was: I was in his mindscape." Mabel explained, and showed her hat. "Look what I got."

"And what's that staff?" Dipper asked.

"The Wabbajack. It does... uhm, I don't know. It turned things into other things, but then it shrinked someone." Mabel explained.

"So, random stuff?" Wendy replied.

"I guess." Mabel said. "How late is it?"

Dipper looked at the clock that was hanging in the room. "Pretty late. I think we should go to Endarie."

* * *

 **And with that, the first one received the first piece of their final equipment, and another old friend was found.  
Little information: There are three Characters from the show missing, and I already have figured out where they are going to be.  
**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	24. Cloak and Dagger

Chapter 24: Cloak and Dagger

After Mabel returned from the mindscape, the three visited Endarie to get their new attire. Mabel received a pink dress, while Wendy got one in green. Dipper was now wearing a black and white suit.

"And? What do you think?" The elf asked.

"I like it." Mabel answered. "Especially the color."

"I still don't like wearing stuff like that." Wendy added.

"Great. No one should suspect a thing, as long as you lay low." Endarie said.

"Do... Do we have to pay you?" Mabel asked.

"Don't worry. Stopping the dragons is enough payment for me."

The trio smiled, and waved as they left the shop.

* * *

With that, they went to the stables. The sun was already setting.

At the Stables, Delphine stood next to two horses and a carriage. "Have you given Malborn the gear you want to smuggle into the Embassy?"

Dipper nodded. "Yeah, and we already got our attire."

She checked the clothes. "So this is what you wear back at home? Interesting. I have your invitation to the party. I'll keep the rest of your gear safe until you get back. You'll only have what Malborn smuggled in for you, plus whatever you can pick up inside." She handed them the invites. "Ready to board the carriage?"

"Wait, what do we have to expect?" Dipper asked, before going on the carriage.

"A lot of guards. Don't hesitate to take 'em out if needed. We can't afford to loose you." The three exchanged some stares and got into the carriage. "I'll be waiting in Riverwood for you. Don't forget the information." Delphine smiled. "Good luck."

The carriage started to move, and the friends waved. It didn't take long for the weather to get colder, especially in their evening attire. The forest got covered in snow, and later ice. It was dark now, and they hoped that whoever was driving this thing knew where to go. Luckily, that wasn't a concern for too long, as the embassy came in sight. It was a big builidng, surrounded by a massive stone wall.

The carriage stopped in the courtyard and the three got out. Next to them, another carriage stopped, and another visitor stepped out. "Ah! Fellow latecomers for Elenwen's little soiree."

"Soiree?" Mabel muttered to herself.

"And arriving by carriage, no less! I salute you, sir! Miss! Miss! My lateness is due more to getting lost on the way up this gods-forsaken mountain than to any desire to arrive late. I prefer to arrive early. Often the day before the party. So as not to miss out on any of the drinking. There's not enough drinking in the world today, wouldn't you agree?"

"Uhm, we are not really into alcohol." Dipper said.

Behind him, Wendy nodded vigorously, and hoped that this guy wouldn't notice anything. This conversation was a shame, honestly. She had hoped that, at the party, she could try out some of the more expensive drinks Skyrim had to offer. But she couldn't let the twins know, and there was the danger that this guy could say something.

"Oh, what a shame." He sounded like he was drunk already. The guy left and approached an elf in a golden armor, who acted as a bouncer. "Now then. Here's my invitation, I don't have a poisoned dagger strapped to my thigh, et cetera, et cetera."

"I'm just doing my duty, sir." The elf looked at the invitation, and nodded. "Everything's in order. Welcome back, sir."

The man entered the stone building. Now the three approached the bouncer. "Welcome to the Thalmor Embassy. Your invitation, please."

They all showed theirs. "Hmm. You seem rather young for being noble." He looked at them for a moment. "But those invitations are no doubt real. Go right in."

They entered the building, but took a look back, to make sure he wouldn't attack them. Thankfully, he already looked back at the carriages.

The party inside was already going strong. Rich and important people stood everywhere, talking with each other or just enjoying a drink. A female Altmer approached them. She wore a long, black cloak. "Welcome. I don't believe we've met. I am Elenwen, the Thalmor embassador to Skyrim. And you are…?"

"I am Dipper, this is my twin sister Mabel. And this is Wendy."

"Ah yes. I remember your names from the guest list. Royalty from Oregon, if I'm not mistaken?"

Thankfully, they had time to look at the fake identities Delphine gave them in the carriage. "Yeah. Royalty."

"So, where is this Oregon?" Elenwen asked. "I never heard of it."

"It is a small city on an Island just west of…" Dipper had to think of a province. "Morrowind."

"Ah, I see. Please. Tell me more about yourself. What brings you to this… to Skyrim?"

Luckily there was no need to make up a story, as Malborn interrupted the conversation. "Madame Ambassador. I'm so sorry to interrupt…"

"What is it Malborn?"

"It's just that we've run out of Alto wine. Do I have your permission to uncork the Arenthia red…"

"Of course. I've told you before not to bother me with such trifles." The ambassador seemed furious. She sure had a short temper.

"Yes Madame Ambassador." With the short interruption over, Malborn left again.

"My apologies. We'll have to get better acquainted later. Please, enjoy yourself." With that, Elenwen left the group, which instantly approached Malborn.

He was sitting behind the counter, giving out drinks and food to the guests. The room itself looked very noble. The wall were made out of clean marble, and the floor was made out of blue stones. Plants and flowers stood in the corners, and a big chandelier brightened the room.

"You made it in. Good. As soon as you distract the guards, I'll open this door and we can get you on your way. Let's hope we four live through this day."

They looked over the guests and searched for a way to distract the guards. Their eyes fell on the guy they met outside. A drunk could easily cause chaos. "We know how." Dipper said.

"Of course. Let me see if we have another bottle of that. I'll be waiting by the door for everyone to be distracted."

Wendy held her word to stay at the party and approached the guy. "What does a fellow need to do to get a drink around here?" He muttered to himself.

"You look thirsty." Wendy said.

He looked up at her. "You are very perceptive! I have a powerful thirst that can't be slaked! And none of the waiters will bring me a drink. Elenwen must have told them to cut me off, the friddged bitch. Afraid I'll cause another scene I suppose."

A plan took form in Wendy's mind and she got a bottle of wine from Malborn, which she gave the guest. "Ah, the one generous soul along a gathering of pinch-pennies and lick-spittles. If there's anything I can ever do for you, do not hesitate to call upon me!"

"There is something you could do for me, come to think about it."

"Wonderful! I can begin to repay your generosity immediatly. Say on, my friend."

Wendy whispered. "Can you make a scene? Distract everyone?"

He raised his eyebrow. "Is that all? My friend, you've come to the right person. You could say that causing a scene is somewhat of a specialty of mine."

"I wouldn't doubt that." Wendy replied, and smirked. Everything was going well.

"Stand back and behold my handiwork." He got up and walked to the center of the room. "Attention, everyone!" Every head turned towards him, while Wendy got back to Mabel and Dipper. "Could I have your attention, please! I have an announcement to make! I proposed a toast to Elenwen! Our Matress! I speak figuratively, of course. Nothing would be more unlikely than someone would actually want her in their bed." Some chuckles where heard through the crowd. The trio had a hard time not to burst out in laughter. The guards, however, weren't amused. They drew their swords. "Although… most of you are already in bed with her! But again… I speak figuratively, of course!" The guards approached him, and grabbed his arm. "Fine, fine. Get your hands off me. I'll be a good boy now."

Everyone was distracted, and the twins used the chance to get to Malborn. He opened the door behind the counter for them and let them into the pantry. "So far, so good. Let's hope nobody saw us slip out. We need to pass through the kitchen. Your gear is hidden in the larder. Just stay close and let me do the talking, got it?" The kids nodded. "Follow me."

They entered the kitchen through the other door. Inside, the twins were surprised. There worked a cat, but humanoid. A bit like the Argonians. They wondered how many animalpeople exist in this world. "Who comes, Malborn? You know I don't like strange smells in my kitchen."

"Two guests, feeling ill. Leave the poor wretches be." Mabel tried to play her part and coughed into her fist.

"Guests? In the kitchen? You know this is against the rules…"

Malborn crossed his arms. "Rules, is it, Tsavanni? I didn't realize that eating Moon Sugar was permitted. Perhaps I should ask the Ambassador…"

She looked around in panic. "Tss. Get out of here. I saw nothing."

After the blackmailing took place, they entered the room after the kitchen. In the next small room Malborn closed the door an pointed at a chest. "Your gear is in that chest. I'll lock the door behind you. Don't screw this up. Good luck."

They retrieved their stuff from the chest and got into their armor. Dipper put the Dagger into a sheath, while Mabel took the potions and put them into a bag. Then, they left the room and heard the key turning in the door.

* * *

The twins snuck through the corridor, trying to be as quiet as possible. Everything here looked noble and expensive. From the furniture to the carpet. As they came closer to the first door, two guards already patroulled the next room. It looked like they had just talked with each other.

Both tried to sneak past them, and went from cover to cover. To them, it felt like they were in a spy movie, and then went up a staircase.

There, a Thalmor wizard spotted them. He was just about to call the guards, but got hit with a Mage light instead. He was taken by surprise, which Dipper used to get near him and stab him in the chest with the dagger.

Both looked at the corpse. "Was that necessary?" Mabel whispered.

Dipper sighed. "Do you want to get caught? Also, they want to wipe out humanity. Two or three less Thalmor wouldn't be bad."

She nodded, and they grabbed the body. The twins lifted him on a chair, and brought the guard into a sitting position. "You think this'll work?" Mabel asked.

"I hope so." Her brother replied.

She sighed and they headed on.

* * *

The way led outside, into the freezing cold. There were guards walking around the courtyard, and there was only one way to go. However, there was no coming thorugh with all the guards around. They thought for a moment, and came up with an idea. Mabel used her rage spell, and aimed at the closest guard. A red aura surrounded him, and he charged at the next guard with his sword. As soon as she was ready, Mabel used the spell again.

Chaos ensued, and made it possible to slip by. The building they went into looked like a bedroom, or study.

The room was brightly lit, but the lack of footsteps told them that there was no guard in range. They began to look through the shelves, commodes and chests, until they heard two people talking.

They hid behind a plant, and noticed two people in a neighbouring room.

"But, I need that money! I earned it. I have my own expenses, you know…"

"Silence! Do not presume, Gissur. You are most useful, but do not presume. We have other informants who are less… offensive."

"But no one else has bought you such valuable information, have they? Etienne, he's talked, hasn't he? He knows where that old man is you're looking for, he told me himself."

"Old man?" Dipper muttered.

"You'll get the rest of your money when you confirm his story. As agreed."

"So he has talked! I knew it!"

"Everyone talks, in the end. Now, I have work to do. Leave me to it, if you ever want to see the rest of your payment."

"Can I… I could help you. He'd talk to me. He trusts me." One of the man tried to defend himself.

"You'd like to come downstairs with me, is that it, Gissur? Shall we loose his bonds and put you in a cell together? You can ask him anything you like, and see how he answers."

"No, no. I'll… I'll wait outside."

"That would probably be best. Now get out!"

One of them left the room, while the other one took another way out. A lone guard remained. The twins had searched through everything in the room they were currently in, but saw another chest in the room with the guard. They tried to sneak around, but Mabel accidently stepped on a plant on the ground.

The Guard noticed them and drew his sword. Ready for battle, the twins duck under the swing. Two Ice Spikes hit the Thalmors back, and impaled his spine. His lifeless body fell to the ground.

"Did I just do that?"

"Yeah. Those Ice Spikes are really strong." Dipper said.

Mabel felt bad. Mostly because she did it without any remorse. It scared her. But then again, there wasn't much of a choice anyway. It was a fight to the death.

Dipper went over to the chest, and opened it. Inside was a note. Mabel sat down next to him, and they read it.

 _First Emissary Elenwen,_

 _We anticipate a breakthrough in our effort to uncover the party or power behind the dragon ressurection phenomenon._

 _An informant has identified a possible lead, why we have bought back to the Embassy for a full interogation. The Subject is obstinate, but by all indications is holding back the information we seek. I have authorized Intermediate Manual Uncoiling._

 _I do not expect more will be necessary, useless you feel time presses._

 _I know you prefer to be present for the final questioning; I will inform you immediatly when the subject is fully receptive. Two days should tell the tale._

 _In the meantime, if you wish to audit our technique, your Expertise is welcome, as always. I have placed the prisoner in the cell closest to your office stairs, for your convinience._

 _\- Rulindil, 3rd Em._

"So the Thalmor don't know anything about the Dragons either." Dipper said. "For better or worse. At least we know that now." He closed the note, and put it in his pocket. "But it sounds like they have captured someone who knows something."

Mabel nodded. "Yeah. And it almost sounds like they are torturing him."

"Okay, we should try to find him." Dipper said, and looked around. His sight fell upon a key hanging from the dead guards belt. He got the key while Mabel searched through the chest some more.

"Hey Dipper? I've found something."

"What?"

"Dossiers. On Delphine and Ulfric." Mabel replied, and pulled them out of the chest.

"Really? What do they say?" Mabel first read through the one about Delphine. "Heh. Delphine is in her 50s. Thought she was younger. Appearently the Thalmor are searching for her, and she once killed an entire assassination squad."

"Yes, yes. We already knew that she is a badass. Anything about Ulfric?"

Mabel nodded. "A lot actually. He was part of the imperial legion during the Great War. Then the Thalmor captured and interrogated him. There was also an incident in Markath, and… hmm…"

Dipper walked up to her. "What is it?"

"Delphine was right. The Thalmor want to keep the Civil war alive."

"So, she was wrong in one, but right in another regard. But why…" Then it struck him. "Of course. They want to keep the war going."

"Yes, I know. I just read that."

"No, that's not what I meant. Remember what the blacksmith in Falkreath told us about the war?"

"That it is bleeds Skyrim dry…" It hit her too. "And in that way, the Thalmor could not only overrun Skyrim, but maybe also the Empire."

"Exactly. Man, those elves are evil."

"I will keep the Dossiers. Maybe we can show them someone in the army." Mabel put all three documents into her bag. "Also, if we went here first, I'd have won my bet with Wendy. Dammit." Mabel said.

* * *

Wendy sat at the counter at the party, enjoying the evening. She bought a bottle of wine, and was watching the guests. She already found out that some of them were Jarls, allied with the empire. Some were business man, while others were royalty.

The guy she paid to distract everyone was luckily not captured. It would have left a bad feeling with her. He even shared a Mead with her earlier. It turned out that the expensive stuff tasted like the normal one, with the name making it more expensive. Malborn, however, seemed afraid. He was constantly looking around, watching out if anyone found out.

She looked at him, as he once again stared at Elenwen.

"Dude. Chill out. They won't realize something happened." Wendy assured him.

"I hope so. You know what they do with people they captured?" The elf replied.

Wendy took a swig from her wine. "Torture? Execute?"

"Sometimes." Malborn replied. "Also, please don't drink too much."

"Don't worry." She said. Suddenly, the man she paid sat down next to her. "Thanks for the distraction."

"No problem. It was fun. Also, I didn't speak figuratively."

"I... didn't want to know that." Wendy deadpanned.

"So, what was the distraction for?"

"Nothing. Just to bring some fun into this party. There's no music, no lightshow, nothing." Wendy replied.

"Yes, those parties are boring. But if you want to mean something, you'll have to attend them." He handed her a bottle of Ale. "Here. Try this. Finest Ale from Markarth."

She took the bottle, and opened it. "Thanks."

* * *

The twins opened the door, and it led them to a balcony overlooking the dungeon of the embassy.

The room was bloodstained, with cells and all different kinds of torture equipment. One of the two people from the previous room sat on a chair and overlooked the scene. They noticed a Thalmor soldier down there, torturing a nord.

"Stop. Please. I dont know anything else. Don't you think I'd have told you already?" The prisoner yelled in pain. The sound of a whip was heard.

"Silence. You know the rules. Do not speak unless spoken to. Master Rulindil will ask the questions."

The twins had a short discussion if they should disrupt it or not. They decided to wait, as they could not take out both without being spotted, and thus more Thalmor coming in. The Thalmor on the balcony began to talk. "Let's begin again."

"No. For pity's sake… I've already told you everything…"

"You know the rules."

"Noooo!" The prisoner yelled as the blade of the guard cut into his chest.

"Start at the beginning, as casual. If you persist in this stubborness I'll have…"

"No, wait! I was just… catching my breath… why wouldn't I tell you again? I don't even know anything… There's an old man. He lives in Riften. He could be this Esbern you're looking for, but I don't know. He's old and seemed kind of crazy. That's all I know."

"And his name is…"

"I don't know his name. Like I've told you already a hundred-" Another swordslash caused a cut over his chest, and a loud scream was heard.

"You know the rules. Just answer the questions. And where can we find this nameless old man?" Then, a guard opened the door.

"We have a situation here."

The Thalmor rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm coming in a moment." The guard closed the door again, and the interrogator turned his attention back to the prisoner.

"Like I said, I don't know! I've seen him down in the Ratway."

"Well, I'm disappointed in your lack of Cooperation. Soldier! Hit im unconscius and help the others. I will follow in short time."

The guard knocked the prisoner out with the hilt of his weapon and left through the upper door. "Now!" Dipper screamed. Before he could react, Rulindil had a dagger in his neck and fell dead from the chair.

A Spell tome fell out of his clothes, and Mabel picked it up. She opened it and it disappeared. Mabel equipped the spell to test it, and a purple ball appeared in her hand. She casted the spell, and a ghost sword appeared in her hand. "Whoa. Cool." She tried it out on the chair, and cut it in half effortlessly. "Oh this is great."

"Yeah, can we get him out there now?"Her brother pointed at the prisoner.

She nodded, and they jumped down into the torture room. The landing hurt a bit, but nothing too bad.

The Pines opened up the cell. The guy was unconscius, and they needed to throw some water in his face to wake him up. "I told you, I don't know anything else about it."

"Calm down. We are not here to torture you." Mabel said in a calm voice.

"What? Who… what do you want then?"

"We are here to spy on the Thalmor. Now come on, let's get out of here."

"Yeah, sure, okay." He nodded to a trapdoor in the ground. "Come on, this way. I've seen the guards use it to get rid of bodies. It must lead somewhere." Dipper and Mabel untied the bonds, and he fell down on his knees. "Thank you."

"No problem."

In that moment, the door by the balcony opened up, and three guards came in. The bad thing, however, were the two they had in custody. One guard held Malborn, while the other two held Wendy. "They got Wendy and Malborn!" Mabel screamed.

Ready to save their friends, both rushed into battle. The attack surprised the guards, and one of the two let go off Wendy as a Ice Spike entered his waist. He screamed in pain and held the wound. Another Ice Spike hit the opening in his helmet and impaled his head, killing him.

With one arm free, Wendy elbowed one of them, but due to the fact that she lacked her armor, hurt her more than the guard. To the twins, her attack looked sloppy.

Mabel conjured a new Sword, and noticed how much the Spell drained her Magicka. She threw it towards Wendy, but as soon as it left her hand, it disappeared. She made a mental node that those things were bound to her and changed to Lightning Bolts.

 _"WULD!"_

Dipper dashed at the guards and tackled one of them. The guard lost his grip on Malborn, freeing him. The Woodelf quickly got up and hid behind the desk. Dipper tried to stab the Dagger into the Guard's face, but struggled against the superior strength of the Thalmor.

The last Guard jumped down the balcony to attack Mabel, but was hit by a Lightning Bolt midair. It caused him to land in an rather uncomfortable position, and he broke his neck on the ground.

Meanwhile, Dipper still struggled with the last guard.

 _"FUS RO!"_

His Shout caused the Thalmor to loose his grip, and Dipper stabbed him in the face. They looked around in the room and looked at the situation.

"So, that was a thing." Mabel said.

"How did you guys get captured?" Dipper asked while trying to get the blood of the dagger.

"Your friend here screwed up." Malborn explained while pointing at Wendy.

"What? I didn't do anything." Wendy tried to defend herself.

"Appearently she can't take much Ale. She told the guy that caused the distraction, and the guards heard it."

"Wendy!" The twins shouted.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think I'd be drunk from one Ale. Good that the Thalmor have a potion that makes one sober." She explained. She was embarrassed, so much was clear. She not only managed that the twins heard of the drinking, but she also managed to ruin everything.

"Now the Thalmor will be hunting me for the rest of my life. I hope it was worth it." Malborn said.

"You bet it was. We've got notes, and dossiers with a lot of sensitive information." Mabel explained.

"Well then. Can we leave before more guards come?" The prisoner took a key from the guards body and opened the trapdoor. "Down here."

All five jumped down into the cave below. It was freezing, and in the middle slept an ice troll.

"Okay everyone. Be quiet." Dipper said. They snuck past the monster and where back outside soon. It was night, and both moons looked down at them.

"You didn't have to help me, so thanks." The prisoner said as he took off.

"I will go somewhere save. For you three, take a carriage to Whiterun. It is the fastest way to get there."

They nodded, and parted ways. Malborn headed south, while the trio got back to Solitude.

"So, Wendy, want to adress the elephant in the room?" Dipper asked while they were walking. Judging by how she walked, Wendy wasn't entirely sober.

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't want to make you worry about me. We have enough on our mind as it is." She said.

"That's not it. When you want to drink, you can." Dipper replied. "My problem is that you didn't say anything. When we want to get through this, we have to be one hundred percent honest with each other."

Mabel looked down. The words hit hard, and she felt bad for keeping her little problem a secret. "Can I ask you something?" She began.

"Sure. What is it?"

"It's just th-" She was interrupted, as shouts were heard behind them. They turned around, and saw the light of torches in the dark. The torches made enough light to see that the people standing there were Thalmor, outfitted for war. Their little fight didn't seem like it went unnoticed.

"You know what? I'll tell you later. Maybe we should run now." Mabel said. Her friends simply nodded, and they began to run.

* * *

 **This one is a little shorter, just as the next one will probably be. That's due to the fact that the topics they cover aren't big, and putting something in that ultimately doesn't go anywhere just to make the chapter longer is something I'm trying to avoid.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	25. New equipment

Chapter 31: New equipment

The way back to Solitude was hell, especially for Wendy. She still had her dress instead of her armor on, which meant that the freezing cold really got to her. Mabel and Dipper weren't that much better of either. Their armor may held them warm a bit, but the natural cold climate of Haafingar, combined with the night, paid its toll on them.

Eventually, they made it to Solitude though, and instantly rented the carriage. They used the way back to Whiterun to sleep, and Wendy was the first one to fall asleep.

* * *

"Alright. We have to find a way to hide the Ebony Blade." Pacifica said to Barbas. Said blade was on the table. "What options do we have?"

"We can hide it in the catacombs. Or go into an old tomb, and hide it there somewhere." Barbas suggested. The ideas weren't bad, but the blonde wasn't willing to go into a crypt, or the local catacombs. Even for the sake of hiding the blade. It would be useless if she'd die along the way.

"No, those won't work. We need somewhere better. What about a chest, burried somwhere under the ground?"

Barbas thought for a moment. "Well, as far as I know, the ground here is too frozen to dig deep down. At least without any special tools."

"Ugh, this is hard." Suddenly, the door opened, and three fairly tired people came in. "You're back." Pacifica noticed the clothes the three were wearing. "And you went to a party?"

Wendy threw herself into a chair. "Yeah. We had to infiltrate an embassy. I fucked it up."

"Okay... why did you have to infiltrate an embassy?"

Mabel held up the two dossiers they found inside the place. "Getting intel from the thalmor. About the dragons."

"What are Thalmor?"

"Long story." Dipper replied, and went into their bathroom to wash himself.

Mabel kneeled down in front of Barbas, and petted the dog. "Basically, they are fascist elves."

"And how did she, and I quote, Fuck it up?"

"She got drunk and blew our cover." Mabel said, and stood up. "Was Soos here?"

"You mean your servant?"

Mabel sighed. "He's not our servant. He's our friend. If anyone's our servant, then Wendy."

"Hey!"

Mabel turned toward the redhead. "What? The Jarl made you our Housecarl. It's not my fault."

She muttered something, and sank back down into her chair.

"Anyways, he's at the Skyforge." Pacifica explained.

"Thanks." Mabel said, and waited for Dipper. When he came back out, they left, searching for Soos.

* * *

While approaching the forge, they noticed as small camp, that was put up near the stairs leading up to Jorrvaskr. The three wondered why it was there, seeing as it wasn't last time they were here.

After going up the stairs, they could see Soos working together with the Blacksmith. "Hey dudes!" He said and waved.

"Did everything go well?" Dipper asked.

Soos nodded. "Yeah. Eorlund here got me a job up here."

"Really? How's the pay?"

"Its okay. Enough to buy a little shack."

The three exchanged some looks. "So, you have your own house?"

"'Course I do. This crazyguy at the statue down there sold his. Somethin' about being there to preach all the time."

"This explains the tent at the stairs." Mabel said.

"Wait, I have something cool for you dogs." This got their interest. They saw how Soos searching through a pile of metal and pulled out an armor.

"We've made armor and weapons for you three." He handed Dipper the armor, who changed his. The new one felt a little bit heavier, but would do. It was green in appearance.

"It is made out of Orichalcum." Eorlund explained. "The Jarl asked me to help you and your friends whereever I can. Here, this bow is also for you." The Smith handed him a brand new bow. It was still golden, but way more stylish.

"Nice."

"Also..." Soos pointed at a small pack at Dipper's shoulder. "You can put your arrows in there."

In Dipper's opinion, that was useful. It was easier to reach than his back. "So, now for Wendy."

He gave her an armor with a deep, black color. Wendy put it on, and noticed some sort of opening, reaching from her hand to her back. The helmet had two wing like ornaments on the side and a big opening for the face. It fit perfectly, and she gave both a thumbs up. "This is Ebony. Very good material for armor. Don't break it. Here is also a new sword." He handed her a new blade too, made out of some strange, crystal like material. "This is called a Glass sword. Don't worry though, it is not actually made out of glass. It gets the name from the appearance." Eorlund, once again, explained.

"And, as a little extra feature, you can put your shield in the opening, and make it go to your hand with the press of a button." Soos said.

Wendy thought about that. "Okay, seems like a good idea. Better than taking the shield off my back all the time."

"Now for miss Pines." The smith cut them short. It seemed like he just wanted the conversation to be over. He gave the girl a new armor too, which all of them instantly recognized.

"Isn't this the armor that the Thalmor wear?"

"Yes, indeed. I don't like making armor like they do, but their skill in crafting light armor is nearly unmatched." Eorlund shrugged. "Comes from living in the woods, I suppose. The Bow of your brother is Elven too. Way better than dwarven."

"Thanks."

"No need to. I am happy to help out the Dragonborns where I can. And I have to admit, the ideas your friend here brought forth were quite something."

The trio could already guess what he referred to.

"Guys! We need to give Delphine the documents!" Mabel reminded them.

"You are leaving already?" Soos asked, a bit sad.

"I am sorry, but it is really important. We'll be back in a couple of hours." He nodded, and they left the city once again.

* * *

The way to Riverwood was as peaceful as ever, and the way down into the basement was still open. Delphine stood behind the table, looking at her map. She didn't notice the three, until Mabel coughed in her fist to get her attention. "Oh. You made it out alive. Your gear's safe in my room, as promised. I've also taken the time to enchant your ring and necklace. The ring now fortifies aim, while the necklace helps with one handed weapons. Did you learn anything useful?"

"Welp, the Thalmor are just as clueless as we are." Dipper explained. "Where is our stuff?" Delphine pointed at a chest standing by the wall. All three got their stuff back, minus their outdated equipment.

"Really? That seems hard to believe. You're sure about that?"

"Yes, we are. Here, we stole their documents on the matter." Mabel handed her the note, as well as the Dossier about her and Ulfric.

"Hmm. Interesting. The stuff in the dossiers is intriguing too. This proves my theory about the war."

"Couldn't we give that to Ulfric and make him stop the war?" Mabel asked.

"Won't work. His head is too thick. Anything else you found out?"

"Only that the Thalmor are looking for someone called Esbern." Dipper said.

Delphines eyes widened. "Esbern? He's alive? I thought the Thalmor must have gotten him years ago. That crazy old man… Figures the Thalmor would be on his trail, though, if they were trying to figure out what's going on with the dragons?"

"And what would they want with a crazy, old man?" Wendy asked.

"You mean, aside from wanting to kill every blade they can get their hands on? Esbern was one of the blades archivists, back before the Thalmor smashed us in the Great War. He knew everything about the ancient dragonlore of the Blades. Obsessed with it, really. Nobody paid much attention back then." She paused for a moment. "I guess he wasn't as crazy as we all thought."

"They said that he is probably in Riften." Mabel remembered.

"Riften, eh? Probably down in the Ratway, then. It's where I would go. You'd better get to Riften."

"Why we?"

"Because I need to stay here and investigate the situation and those dossiers. When you are there, talk to Brynjolf. He's… well-connected. A good starting point, at least. Oh, and when you find Esbern… if you think I'm paranoid… you may have some trouble getting him to trust you. Just ask him where he was on the 30th of Frostfall. He'll know what it means."

They sighed. They really couldn't get a break. "We'll remember to do this. Goodbye then." Delphine was already sunken in her research and didn't notice them. Frustrated, the three heroes left the Basement and Inn and headed back to Riften.

* * *

"I told you, I've heard a Shout back there." Tolgan told his friend. Although he wouldn't necessary call him that, more of a assistent.

The two were heading towards Falkreath, where they expected the Dragonborns to be. On the way, around a mountain in the middle of Whiterun, they suddenly heard a Shout. They snuck around to find its source.

But instead of the Dragonborn, they found a big, black dragon, shouting at a burial mount. "Is that... Alduin?" Assorn muttered.

"I think so. The description fits."

"What should we do? And what is he doing?"

"I think he ressurects the dragon."

"And? Should we intervene?"

Tolgan thought for a moment. "No. We could take on one, but not the World-Eater himself. Just lay low until they are gone."

 _"BEYNKLOVAL! ZILL GRO DOVAH ULSE! SLEN TIID VO!"_ A skeletal dragon rose from the ground, and quickly gained his flesh and hide back.

" _ALDUIN, THURI!"_

 _"BEYNKLOVAL! BO AHRK NOS AHROLSEDOVAH!"_

 _"GEH, ALDUIN!"_

The black dragon flew away, while the other on took off to the west. "What did he say?" Tolgan asked.

"Wait, let me see." Assorn pulled out a little Notebook and looked through it. "Uh oh."

"What?"

"Nothing. We have our mission." Tolgan nodded, and they continued their way to Falkreath.

* * *

It was a normal afternoon in Whiterun. The market was full of people, the companions brawled with each other and Heimskr preached at the Statue of Talos. Pacifica was on the Way to the Temple of Kynareth. She had decided to use her free time to learn some Restoration magic, and Danica was willing to help her. This way, she could get a bit off money by helping out at the temple, and hopefully get the Ebony Blade out of her mind.

She was just walking by Gildergreen, as a loud roar was heard over the city. Of course she already knew what it was, just like every other citizen. A giant dragon flew over the city.

" _TOR SHUL!_ _"_ The first house was already on fire, as the dragon sat down on a roof. A dozen arrows hit him, and he flew up and grabbed one of the guards. The dragon flew higher and higher, until he eventually dropped the guard. The corpse landed directly besides Pacifica, who tried to hide behind a house. She got a better look at the dragon, and noticed some big differences between him and the one at Bonestrewn Crest. First and foremost, its tail and head where more flat and wide. His eyes looked way more like the ones of a lizard than of a dragon.

It landed before another guard and used a completely new Shout. " _GAAN LAH HAAS!_ _"_ It litteraly sucked the life out of the guard and absorbed it into the dragon.

Meanwhile, Irileth was already preparing a counter attack. She got all the guards inside Dragonsreach together and wanted to attack the dragon from the higher position. They would repeat the events at the watchtower and destroy its wings, forcing it to get on the ground. The little army got out of the castle and began their barrage. The arrows had trouble to pierce the hide of the dragon however.

 _"YOL TOR!_ _"_ A Stream of Fire hit Dragonsreach, but the massive stone building held its ground. The citizens of the city were in pure panic though. All the districts dissolved into chaos, as the people tried to hide where ever they could. The Dragon was just about to drain the life of another guard, as a axe hit the side of his head. The Companions had prepared themselves and charged into battle.

 _"YOU MORTALS HAVE BECOME STRONG, BUT LOST YOUR THU_ _'_ _UM, YOUR VOICE! YOL TOR!_ _"_ Another Firebreath hit the Companions, and set Jorrvaskr on fire.

* * *

The trio was just on the way to Riften, walking around the Throat of the World, so that they could go through Ivarstead

"And this is how we could ride a dragon."

"Just because they can talk doesn't mean you can reason with them." Dipper said to Mabels plan. "And even if, I doubt they would wear a saddle. Especially one with sprinkles all over it."

The twins noticed Wendy staring at Whiterun. "Something wrong?"

"I have a bad feeling."

"Why?" They could hear a faint roar and smoke rising up from the city.

"Whiterun is under attack!" A Guard said as he ran past them. The three didn't even need to say anything to each other and began to run to the city. As they got closer, the roars got louder, as did the screams.

They finally reached the Main Gate and stepped inside the walls. The dragon sat down on the Drunken Huntsman's roof and looked at them, as if it waited for them specifically. " _DOVAHKIIN, DII LOS BEYNKLOVAL! HEAR MY VOICE AND SHATTER! TOR SHUL!_ _"_

Wendy and Dipper got out of the way in time, but Mabel held up a lesser ward instead. Although it was hard to keep up, it did its job.

Dipper used the chance to test out his new bow, and the arrow hit the dragon with more force than his old bow. The dragon took off again, and flew back towards Dragonsreach. The trio followed him, making their way through panicking townfolk and guards trying to prevent further chaos.

As they got up to the Temple of Kynareth, they saw how the dragon sucked the life out of a guard.

"What? How did he do that?" Wendy asked.

"Maybe he is some kind of vampire…" Dipper guessed.

"Dragonborn!" They saw Irileth running towards them. "Good timing. We could use some help with this monster. It seems way more powerful than the one we killed at the watchtower."

"Yeah, we noticed. How is the situation?"

"The guards and companions are doing a good job at holding the monster up here, away from the civilians. But the houses here are getting hit heavy."

"Mabel! Give me your Grappling hook!" Wendy said. Mabel took it and gave it to her friend.

"Why can't I do it?"

"Maybe we can do more with a blade than magic."

"Uhm, you know I can summon a sword, right?"

Wendy had no time to answer, as the dragon swiped over them. Dipper and Mabel got into cover, and Dipper noticed a panicing blonde. "Pacifica? What are you doing up here?"

"I was going into the temple, and then this thing showed up."

At this point, Dipper realized who he haven't seen among the civilians. "Do you know where Soos is?"

"I think I saw him giving weapons to the companions." Dipper looked at the dragon, who just landed on top of Jorrvaskr. He was hit with arrows and magic.

"Stay here, I will make sure he's okay."

Pacifica nodded and Dipper ran out of his cover. He quickly covered the distance between the temple and the meadhall, firing arrows while running. He opened the door, and saw Soos sitting in a corner. "Soos!"

"Dude!"

"Everything alright? Why are you sitting in a corner?"

"Eorlund told me to. Appearently it is too dangerous to run from the dragon."

"I can second that. Try to get somewhere where the walls are not wood."

"Okay dog." He got up and Walked into the living quarters, which were in the basement.

Dipper hoped that it would hold off a dragon attack and went outside again. The dragon still sat on the Hall, and instantly noticed the young Dragonborn.

" _YOL TOR!_ _"_ The fire engulfed him, but his armor held away most of the damage.

The metal still got pretty hot, and it hurt. He was sure that this would leave a few marks and shot another arrow at the dragons, hitting his eye. The dragon cried out in pain, and took off. Dipper noticed a piece of metal sticking around its horn, and then saw Wendy getting dragged behind.

"This is actually fun!" She yelled as the dragon tried to shake her of. Luckily, the Grappling hook held, and slowly got Wendy closer to the monster.

 _"GET OFF, MORTAL!_ _"_

Once she was on the dragons back, Wendy made her way to the dragons wings, attempting to slice it open with her sword. Although the way was short, thanks to the movement of the dragon it took a good amount of time. Finally, she reached the wings and began slashing at one of them with her blade. It cut through the hide like a warm knife through butter, and the dragon lost height.

"Prepare for impact!" Irileth screamed as the lizard crashed into the ground. It destroyed the wooden arches around Gildergreen, and stopped as his head hit the stone wall. It wasn't dead though, and got on his feet, or rather wings. It turned towards the warriors.

" _YOUR STRUGGLING IS CUTE, JOOR! BUT IN THE END; YOU WILL PERISH IN FIRE! AND NOT EVEN YOUR DOVAHKIIN CAN HELP YOU! RUTH HI! QUILAAN US ALDUIN!_ _"_

A dozen blades dug in his side. Beynkloval felt his strength leaving. He tried to absorb life energy, but was hit with a Lightning Bolt into the Mouth. Mabel jumped on top of the monsters head and summoned a sword. She took the blade and rammed it into the monsters other eye, and then its snout. He screamed, and Dipper shot some arrows in his mouth. The guards armed with bows did the same, while everyone else attacked his belly with sowrds, axes and others weapons. It only took a few more hits and he got up one last time.

 _"FORGIVE ME! ALDUIN!_ _"_ His lifeless body fell to the ground, and his hide began to evaporate as the twins absorbed his soul. Every participant held their weapons in the air triumphantly.

The twins looked around to get a glimpse at the damage the fight caused. Dead guards laid everywhere. Houses were still on fire, and the gildergreen was hit heavily. This was definitely the strongest dragon they fought by now, and they were scared how much stronger they'd become.

* * *

"Please tell me you are near Whiterun." Miraak said to his henchmen.

"Yes we are. Why?"

"The Dragonborns absorbed another Dragon Soul."

"In Whiterun?"

"Yes you Idiot." With that, the connection broke up and the two cultists began their travel to the City.

* * *

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	26. Back in Riften

Chapter 26: Back in Riften

After defeating the dragon in Whiterun, the trio resumed their way to Riften. They decided to rent a carriage instead of walking, since it would be a lot faster.

Once they arrived in the City, the guard at the gate recognized them and opened the door.

"So, where do we start?" Mabel asked, and looked around. Riften was still as unsettling as ever.

"Maybe we should ask the Innkeeper." Wendy suggested. "I've heard him mentioning the ratway."

"Uhm, didn't Delphine tell us to speak with someone named Brynjolf?" Dipper said.

"Do you know who he is?" Wendy asked him, and he shook his head. "See. We can't talk to him if we don't know what he looks like. Now let's get to the Inn."

They entered the Bee and Barb and talked to the Innkeeper. Their old friend explained to them that the Ratway is under the market, and can be accessed through the door under the blacksmith. They followed his description and found the door.

* * *

The stench inside the Ratway was pretty bad, and garbage laid around everywhere. They followed the tunnel until they were attacked by two people. The first one hit Wendy with an axe, but the weapon didn't get through the Ebony Armor. She countered the attack and killed him with a swordslash.

The other one attacked Mabel, but was defeated with an Ice Spike through the chest. While wandering through the catacombs, they had to admit that it was pretty much a labyrinth. Remains of camps were scattered all over the place, and at one point there even was a opening in the ceiling, letting in sunlight.

A couple more lowlifes attacked them along the way, but were all dispatched easily. After half an hour of searching and getting lost, they finally arrived at the Ragged flagon.

The Innkeeper told them this place was some kind of tavern, and the place they would most likely get information about Esbern. The tavern had a big pond of water in the middle, and a counter withs some chair and tables in the back.

Lowlifes and thieves sat everywhere, and they randomly asked one.

"Hey there. We are looking for some old guy, hiding down here." Mabel said.

He took a swig from his drink. "Huh. Lot of old guys around. I don't really know how I can help."

"Please. We need to find him. His life is in danger." Mabel looked at the guy with big eyes.

The thief sighed. "Maybe I'm just getting soft in my old age, but I actually believe you. Who do you search for?"

"His name is Esbern." Dipper answered.

He thought about it for a moment. Dipper could have sworn to see someone leaving as they asked that. "He's holed up in the Ratway Warrens. Be careful. You're not the only one looking for him."

He got back to his drink and the trio left towards the Warrens. "You think the Thalmor are already here?" Wendy asked, while they walked through the tunnels.

"Probably. We need to be careful."

* * *

As they entered the Warrens, they were instantly attacked by a Thalmor soldier. He swung his sword above their heads,but he didn't expect them to be so small, and nearly tripped. This opened an attack window for the others, and an arrow dug into the Thalmors spine.

Along the way they were attacked by another Soldier, but won too. After some time, and getting lost again, they found a heavily locked door.

Mabel decided to knock. "Go away!" A voice yelled from behind the door.

"Esbern? Is that you?" Mabel asked.

"What?! No, that's not me. I'm not Esbern. I don't know what you're talking about." If one thing was sure, this guy was a bad liar.

"Open the door please. Delphine sent us!" Wendy yelled.

"Delphine? How do you… so you've finally found her, and she led you to me. And here I am, caught like a rat in a trap."

"Say what now?" Mabel asked.

"You're most likely with the Thalmor. And this is just a trick to open the door." The three looked at each other confused. Delphine really wasn't joking when she said he was paranoid.

"Delphine is save. She needs your help to stop the dragons." Mabel yelled through the door.

There was a pause, as he was thinking. "So Delphine keeps up the fight, after all these years. You'd better come in and tell me how you found me and what you want." They heard the clicking and opening of locks, and judging by the number of noises, there were a lot of them. "This'll just take a moment…" They heard him working on a particulalyr heavy lock. "This one always sticks… There we go. Only a couple more." Around twenty seconds later, the last lock was opened. "There we are." He finally opened the door. He looked like they expected. Old, and dressed in torn up clothes. "Come in, come in! Make yourself at home! That's better. Now we can talk." He quickly closed the door again. "So, Delphine sent three kids to find me? I guess she realized how hopeless it all is."

The eyes of the three widened. "What do you mean by hopeless?" Dipper asked.

"Haven't you figured it out yet? What more needs to happen before you all wake up and see what's going on? Alduin has returned, just like the prophecy said! The dragon from the dawn of time, who devourer the souls of the dead! No one can escape his hunger, here or in the afterlife!"

"I'm sorry, but you sound more like a crazy preacher right now." Wendy told him.

"Wait, isn't Alduin the dragon that resurrects the others?" Dipper pointed out.

"Yes! Yes! You see, you know but you refuse to understand! Alduin will devour all things and the world will end!"

"Wait a moment. Do you mean the literal end of the world? Like, there is nothing left?" Mabel wanted to know.

"Oh yes. It's all been foretold. The end has begun. Alduin has returned. Only a Dragonborn can stop him. But no Dragonborn has been known for centuries. It seems that the gods have grown tired of us. They've left us to our fate, as the plaything of Alduin the World-Eater." He sat down, sinking his head into his hands.

"But there is hope!" Mabel said while patting him on the back.

"Yeah. Me and Mabel are Dragonborn." Dipper explained.

Esbern looked at them speechless. "What? You're… can it really be true? Dragonborn? Two of them? Then… there is hope! The gods have not abandoned us! We must… we must… We must go, quickly now. Take me to Delphine. We have much to discuss."

"Yeah! Also, we have time. Eating an entire planet should take years." Mabel said happily.

"Uhm, Alduin doesn't litteraly eat the world." Esbern noted, and started to pack his stuff.

Mabel frowned. "Oh. Bummer. Wait. We have to save the world?"

"I am afraid that you have to. I know it may be a lot of pressure for two kids, but I am sure Delphine knew why she send you. Say, have you already killed a dragon?"

"Four, to be exact." Wendy said, proud of herself.

"Then Delphine was right. You have a chance." He threw his bag over his hsoulder. "Now come. We have to go."

"One thing, there are Thalmor here." Wendy mentioned.

"What? Great. We have to be extra careful." They left his room and made their way back into the upper parts of the rat way, where a group of Thalmor already waited for them.

Amongst them was a nord. The twins recognized him as the guy who talked with the Thalmor at the embassy. The Thalmor themselves were well armored. Two of the three had a sword, and the last one was a wizard. The two groups charged into battle, one of the guards took on Wendy, the other one Dipper and the Wizard attacked Mabel, who had aid from Esbern. The nord tried to get a hit in when he could, and was armed with a dagger.

Esbern conjured a Flame Atronach, which looked like a woman made out of fire, and then switched to firespells. Mabel chose to use her Ward spell in one hand and the Lightning Bolt in the other. Although the Ice Spike seemed a bit more damaging, the Lightning bolt drained Magicka, which would be useful against another mage. The Wizard himself had a ward spell too, and thus a long battle started between the two. One held up his shield, then fired a spell, which was blocked by the others shield, who in turn repeated the process.

While that happend, Dipper and his opponent got up a staircase. Dipper used his bow to block strikes while he thought about a way to get a bit of distance. Thankfully his bow was strong enough to hold up against the sword.

" _WULD!"_

He dashed past the Thalmor up the stairs, and used the higher ground to get a good shot. The arrow burried itself into the Guards arm. The Altmer began to scream in pain, and Dipper guessed he must have hit some kind of artery, although he wasn't quite sure if Elves had the same build regarding bloodcirculation. The Thalmor bit his teeth and charged up the stairs, but his sword only hit the ground. He turned around and saw the pointy end of an arrow, before it dug into his chest. He ragdolled down the stairs.

Wendy duck under a strike, and in retalitation used her sword to slice the leg of the Elf. It was clear that this group had better armor than the two they fought before, and the nord that aided them was not helping either. Although she had to admit that he was more of an annoyance than anything. His dagger couldn't even cave her armor.

She blocked another blow with her shield, but the Thalmor used his free hand to grab her head. He then used his legs to kick her, which led her to fall down. He stood over her and held up his sword, striking at her. The blade crashed against her shoulder, and she used the chance to grab it. Thanks to the armor it didn't hurt, and she was able to push it to the side, which caused the Thalmor to fall onto her. She grapped her ax and rammed it into the Thalmors back. He cried out for a moment, and then went silent. Wendy pushed the body off of her, and got hit in the neck with the stumb of a dagger.

"I wont get my payment ruined by you!" The Nord yelled out in anger. Wendy turned around and knocked the guy out with one hit, breaking his nose in the process. She pulled her ax out of the Thalmor and wanted to help Mabel.

The Flame Atronach was a good help, as it shot fireball at the wizard. He wasn't able to hold up his shield against three enemies, and got hit by fire or lightning from time to time. As his shield failed once again, he got hit by a Lightning bolt and was unable to put it back up again. His Magicka was drained too much, and even the most basic Spells were impossible to cast. In panic, he pulled out his dagger and charged towards them, directly into the spells. Of course it didn't take long for him to fall over.

The four gathered around the unconscius nord. "So, what are we gonna do with him?" Wendy asked, and swiped the blood off her weapons.

"Gissur. I should have known." Esbern said with remorse.

Dipper looked at him. "You know him?"

"Yes, he lived down here for quite some time. Appearently he decided to betray me."

Wendy shrugged. "So, what now?"

Mabel looked at the guy, thought for a moment, and threw a Lightning bolt at him. Dipper immediatly got down and felt his pulse. "You killed him!"

"What? He could backstab us again, and we can't let information get out to the Thalmor."

As angry as he was, Dipper couldn't help but agree with her logic. But this was already the second, nearly third, time she killed someone out of anger or spite. If that wouldn't change, he would really need to get her to the College in Winterhold.

"Come on now, we need to get out of here." Esbern said. They followed him outside, where they set out for Riverwood.

* * *

Assorn and Tolgan had arrived in Whiterun. The town was being repaired, and a lot of citizens helped with the work. They had to admit their survival, but still had their mission. At the market, they encountered a blonde girl talking with a big guy, who Tolgan first thought to be a beaver man.

They approached the two. "Hey, we are searching for Mabel and Dipper Pines. Have you seen them?"

The two strangers looked at each other for a moment. "Yeah, I think they left for Riften. Why?"

"We have to ask them for help. Can you describe to us how they look?"

"No need. Here." The big one pulled out what the cultists assume to be a painting. Assorn thought that the artist was very skilled, if he was able to draw a realistic looking picture on such a small piece of paper. The guy showed them two kids in the front of the picture, which the two immediatly recognized.

"Th-Thanks. Goodbye." They left the city again.

"I can't believe it! Those kids screwed us over!"

"And I gave one of them two Spell Tomes."

"At least we now know who to search for. This time, they won't slip away."

* * *

 **And there's Chapter 26.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	27. Parting Ways

Chapter 27: Parting Ways

After they left Riften and got back to Riverwood, they found the basement of the Inn empty. "Where is she?" Esbern asked, and picked up a loose piece of metal on the ground.

"I don't know. Maybe Orgnar knows where she is." Dipper suggested.

"I'm going to ask" Mabel said and got up the stairs. They waited a couple of minutes, and started to look around the room for any clues. They heard the entrance opening, and saw Mabel coming back. "He said that some Thalmor entered the Inn, and when they were gone, Delphine left."

"Heh, I think I know whats going on." Esbern said. "The Thalmor were too close, and she wanted to lay low elsewhere for a while."

The three looked at each other. "So, what now? Are we going to search for her?"

"We'd never find her. But she'll return. None of us know where she is, so she has to come back and meet me, meet us, here. I would say I stay here, and you three go and do what ever you do in your freetime. As soon as she's back, we will sent you a letter."

They thought for a moment, before Dipper spoke up. "Okay then. Let's go guys."

The three left the basement and closed the wardrobe. They then left the Inn, and thought about what to do next. Wendy elbowed Dipper. "Hey, I think now is a good time."

He nodded and handed a note to Mabel. "What's that?" She opened the letter and found information about a college in Winterhold. "Uhm, what?"

"Listen. We think that this magic might be a bit to much for you."

She smiled. "What do you mean by that?"

"Everytime you get angry or despise someone you destroy something, or kill the guy." Wendy explained.

"What?!" Lightning appeared in her hands and she threw it at a nearby tree.

"Case and point. We don't want you to loose it completely. Farengar warned us that something like that could happen at a young age. But he also said that the College could help you."Dipper said, and put his hand on her shoulder.

Mabel looked at the tree. "I think you're right. As long as Delphine isn't here, I will go to the college. And what will you do?"

"Hmm. Maybe we can visit this Dawnguard thing-y." Dipper muttered.

"Good idea. Mabel learns how to not go bat-shit crazy while we hunt vampires. Man, never thought I would say this sentence."

"It's settled then?"

"Yeah." They all high-fived and got to Whiterun, where they bought a carriage. It dropped Wendy and Dipper of at Riften, and then transported Mabel to Winterhold.

* * *

Dipper and Wendy followed the description of a guard, and arrived at a giant rift in a mountain.

Wendy raised an eyebrow. "This is the Dawnguard? Looks more like a cave to me."

The cave was only some feet long, and let into a beautiful valley. Both had problems closing their open mouths. Big trees grew everywhere, a waterfall rushed from the side and deer jumped around.

In the middle of all this stood a nord, who closed in. "Oh, hey there! You here to join the Dawnguard, too? Truth is, I'm a little nervous. I've never done anything like this before. I hope you don't mind if I walk up with you two?"

The friends shrugged. "Why not?" Thus, the three walked along the path.

"Hey, uh, don't tell Isran I was afraid to meet him by myself. Not the best first Impression for a new Vampire hunter, I guess."

Dipper smiled. "Don't worry. Our mouths are shut. So, why are you here?"

"I heard what's going on. The vampires, the Dawnguard, all of it. I wanted to help, so here I am. I'm not sure Isran will take me though. But I hope so."

"Hey, if they ask a twelve and fifteen year old, they will take you." Wendy assured him.

"Thanks." They all stopped as they arrived at the giant fort. It was built entirely out of massive stone, and was way bigger than even Dragonsreach, and dwarved whole towns.

"Holy shit. This is one big fortress." Wendy said.

"Wow. Bigger than I expected." They followed the path, and went past some barricades.

The Ork from Dragon Bridge stood at a barricade and practice with his crossbow. But besides him, it was completely deserted. "Where is everybody? This place looks almost like a ghost town."

They finally arrived at the giant gate, and opened it. The inside of the fortress was just as gigantic as the outside. An ornament made out of different kinds of stones was on the ground, with a visible balcony one floor higher. Crates, barrels and other things stood at the sites, partially covered in cobwebs and dust. It looked like this place was abandoned for a long time.

In the middle of the hall stood two people, talking with each other. One wore a robe, while the other one had a more warrior-like appearance, with a warhammer strapped to his back. "Why are you here, Tolan? The Vigilants and I were finished long ago." The warrior told the other one.

"You know why I'm here, the Vigilants are under attack everywhere. The vampires are much more dangerous than we believed."

"And now you want to come running to safety with the Dawnguard, is that it? I remember Keeper Carcette telling me repeatedly that Dawnguard is a crumbling ruin, not worth the expenses and manpower to repair. And now that you've stirred up the vampires against you, you come begging for my protection?"

"Isran, Carcette is dead. The hall of Vigilants… everyone… they're all dead. You were right, we were wrong. Isn't that enough for you?"

The expression of Isran changed to 'shocked'. "Yes, well… I never wanted any of this to happen. I tried to warn all of you… I am sorry, you know." The warrior now turned towards Dipper, Wendy and the Nord. "So who are you, what do you want?"

Wendy stepped forward. "We heard you are looking for vampire hunters."

"You heard right. I'm glad our word's finally starting to get around. But that means it won't be long before the vampires start to take notice as well."

"So, how can we help?" Dipper asked.

"I need someone out in the field, taking the fight to the damn vampires, while we're getting the fort back in shape. Say, can you fight?"

"Yeah we can. I don't want to brag or anything, but we killed some dragons."

"Hmm. Well then. Tolan was telling me about some cave that the Vigilants poked around in. Seemed to think it was related to these recent vampire attacks. Tolan. Tell them about, what was it, Dimhollow?"

The robed man turned around. "Yes, that's it. Dimhollow Crypt. Brother Adalvald was sure it held some long-lost vampire artifact of some kind. We didn't listen to him any more than we did Isran. He was at the Hall when it was attacked…"

"That's good enough for me. Go see what the vampires were looking for in this Dimhollow Crypt. With any luck, they'll still be there. Here, you should take a crossbow. Good for taking out those fiends before they get to close."

He handed the weapon to Wendy, together with some bolts. "Nice. Missed those things."

"You know how to use one?"

"Yeah, my dad showed me how they work."

"I'll meet you at Dimhollow. It's the last I can do to avenge my fallen comrades. "

"Tolan, I don't think that's a good idea. You Vigilants were never trained for…"

"I know what you think of us. You think we're soft, that we're cowards. You think our death proved our weakness. Stendarr grant that you do not have to face the same test and be found wanting. I'm going to Dimhollow Crypt. Perhaps I can be of some small assistent to you two." Tolan left and Isran just sighed.

He showed them the location of the crypt on the map and then turned towards the Nord. "You there, boy. Stop skulking in the shadows and step up here. What's your name?"

"I'm, uh… My name's Agmaer, sir."

"Do I look like a 'sir' to you, boy? I'm not a soldier, and you're not joining the army." ,,Yes si… Isran." ,,Didn't I tell you to step forward? Hmm… Farm boy, eh? What's your weapon?"

"Uh, my weapons? I mostly use my pa's ax, when wolves are attacking the goats or something."

Isran facepalmed. "'My pa's axe'. Stendarr preserve us. Don't worry, I think we can make a Dawnguard out of you. Here, take this crossbow and let's see how you shoot."

"Uh, crossbow? I've never…"

Isran pushed the weapon in his hands. "Yes, a crossbow. Best thing for killing vampires. Just take a few shots at those crates over there. Take a deep breath and let it out as you fire."

Whilst he introduced the guy into the art of firing bolts at a bullseye, Dipper and Wendy left the fortress and began their way to the crypt.

* * *

Mabel arrived in Winterhold the next morning. She slept over the night in the carriage. Being located in the far north of the province, the City had appropriate climate.

Luckily, the college was easy to distinguish from the rest of the little city. It was build at the top of giant stone pillars, with a massive, but thin bridge leading to it. Mabel quickly made her way through the city and got up the bridge, where a Altmer stopped her.

"Cross the bridge at your own peril! The way is dangerous, and the gate will not open. You shall not gain entry."

"Whoa, calm down. I want to join the College. So, can I come in, pretty please!"

"Perhaps. But what is it you expect to find within?"

"Well, the Wizard in Whiterun said that I could get out of control thanks to the magic, and your college could help me out with that."

"Ah, Farengar. You know, we haven't had people your age here in a long time."

This surprised Mabel. "Really? Why?"

"Nords are not exactly fond of magic. It's a long story. But the question now is, what can you offer for the College. Not just anyone is allowed inside. Those willing to enter must show some degree of skill with magic. A small test, if you will."

"So, what do I have to do? Get an artifact from some ruin?"

"No, where did you get this idea? Just cast a spell."

Mabel stepped back, and casted an Ice Spike into the wall. "Well done, indeed. I think you'll be a superb addition to the College. Welcome, apprentice. I'll lead you across the bridge. Once inside, you'll want to speak with Mirabelle Ervine, our Master Wizard. Please, follow me."

Both walked across the bridge, which took various turns. At some places was no railing, and Mabel guessed that it broke down. At some points were some big wells, filled with some kind of blue substance. "What is your name anyways?" The Altmer asked.

"Mabel. Mabel Pines."

"Pines, eh? Your name is pretty unusual."

"I know. I get that often." The metal gate to the courtyard opened from itself as they approached it. The courtyard had a big statue in the middle. The way was built around it, with flowers growing around it. A roofed way surrounded the courtyard, with pillars holding it up. Several doors were scattered around the wall.

At the statue, an Altmer was arguing with a breton woman. "I believe I've made myself rather clear" The Breton argued.

"Yes, of course. I'm simply trying to understand the reasoning behind the decision."

"You may be used to the Empire bowing to your every whim, but I'm afraid you'll find the Thalmor receive no such treatment here." Upon hearing this, Mabel was ready for everything. She hoped that the Thalmor wouldn't recognize, or know, her. "You are a guest of the College, here at the pleasure of the Arch-Mage. I hope you appreciate the opportunity."

"Yes, of course. The Arch-Mage has my thanks."

"Very good. Then we're done here." The Thalmor left into the direction of one of the doors, and stared strangely at Mabel, who approached the Altmer.

"Welcome to the College. I am Mirabelle Ervine."

Mabel shook her hand. "I was told to see you."

"Another new Student… I'm suprised at how many of you there are lately. Well, first you'll need these." She handed her a set of robes.

"Ugh, do I really need to wear those? They look dumb, and I would rather keep my armor."

"Of course not. It's up to everyone. I'll give you a brief tour, and then we'll get you to your first class. Are you ready to begin?"

"I would love to."

"Wonderful. Please follow me. The college of winterhold has been a figure in Skyrim for thousand of years." They entered through a big gate behind the statue. They now stood inside a giant hall, which looked like the courtyard. Only differences were that instead of the statue, there was another one of those wells. And of course that instead of dirt and sky there was stone and a roof. "The prominent feature here is the Hall of Elements. It's our primary location for lectures, practice sessions, and general meetings. The Arcaneum is located above the hall, and the Arch-Mage's quarters above that. While technically in charge of the College, the Arch-Mage's responsibilities often keep him occupied. Thus, I run the day-to-day operations. Now, if you'll please follow me, I'll show you the living quarters."

They left the hall and moved to one of the doors, right from the entrance gate. Inside was a small hall, with sleeping rooms around a blue well. "Unfortunately, we've had to implement more stringent entry procedures, due to some problems with the local Nords. We don't expect any real violence, but it never hurts to be prepared. Our newest members are housed here in the Hall of Attainment. I'll ask you please keep your voice down while inside, as others may be working on research or… delicate experiments. Now I'll show you your quarters. You're going to be sharing space with your fellow Apprentices, who you'll meet shortly."

Mirabelle showed her a room in the far right of the hall. "This is where you'll be staying. This bed and desk are yours. Please try and be considerate of others. Now let's go back to the hall of Elements, where most of the members gather for lectures and study sessions. But before, I need your name."

"Mabel Pines."

She looked shocked. "Did you just say Pines?"

"Yes, why?"

Mirabelled smiled. "Nothing. Before we go, do you have any questions?"

"Yes, when do I get an owl?"

"What would you do with an Owl?"

Mabel shrugged. "Sending letters?"

The Altmer sighed. "Let's just move on, okay? Initially you'll be learning from Tolfdir, one of our most esteemed wizard. He is likely already adressing the new Apprentices. Go on in, and if you have any problems, let one of our senior members know."

She left Mabel for herself, and Mabel entered the hall. Inside, a wizard was holding a lecture to three other students, one Khajiit, one Nord and one Dunmer. He noticed the girl. "Welcome, welcome! We were just beginning. Please, stay and listen." Mabel got to the other apprentices. "So, as I was saying, the first thing to understand is that magic is, by its very nature, volatile and dangerous. Unless you can control it, it can and will destroy you."

This hit Mabel directly. She never knew that her friends realized her change in behavior, and she was ashamed that she didn't have the guts to tell them.

"Sir, I think we all understand that fairly well. We wouldn't be here if we couldn't control magic." The Dunmer interrupted.

"Of course, my dear. Of course. You all possess some inherent magical ability, that much is not being questioned. What I'm talking about is true control, mastery of Magic. It takes years, if not decades to practice and study."

Mabel groaned. She wasn't willing to stay decades in this academy, or world for that matter. If she could decide how it goes, she would get out of this place as soon as Alduin is defeated.

Luckily, the Khajiit seemed to share her lack of patience. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!"

"Please, please! This is exactly what I'm talking about. Eagerness must be tempered with caution, or else disaster is inevitable."

"But we've only just arrived here. You've no idea what any of us are capable of. Why not give us a chance to show you what we can do."

Tolfdir turned to Mabel. "You've been quiet so far. What do you think we should do."

"Let's practice a bit. If something goes wrong, im sure one of us have restoration magic."

"Is that so?"

"See? She agrees with us too! Why don't you actually show us something?" The Dunmer said.

"All right, let's settle down. I suppose we can try something practical… In continuing with our terms of safety, we'll start with Wards. Wards are protective Spells that block magic. I'll teach you all a ward, and we'll see if you can succesfully use it to block spells, all right? Would you mind helping me with the Demonstration? Are you at all familiar with ward spells?"

"I already know one. And I can use it, too." Mabel told him proudly.

"Well, then this should be no problem at all for you. Now, it you'll just stand right over there, I'll cast a Spell at you, and you block it with the ward. Here we go. Over there, please. Just opposite me. Wouldn't want anyone else in the way. Now, cast the ward spell, and keep it up. You'll have to keep your ward up, or else this won't work. I don't want to hurt you. Hold still…"

Mabel casted the ward spell, and a fireball exploded in front of it. "Excellent work! Well, I think this is an excellent start. I'd like you all to continue practicing with wards, please. I think perhaps we're ready to begin exploring some of the various applications of magic throughout history. The College has undertaken a fascinating excavation in the ruins of Saarthal nearby. It's an excellent leaving opportunity. I suggest we meet there in a few hours, and see what awaits us inside. That's all for now, thank you." The students wanted to leave, but Mabel was stopped by Tolffdir. "And Miss Pines, I want you to visit the Arcaneum before you go to Saarthal. Someone up there probably wants to see you."

Mabel was confused. What would someone here want from her?

* * *

 **And Chapter 27 is up.**

 **For the next couple of Chapters, the story will take a break from the main story of Skyrim, and follow the plotlines of the Dawnguard and College respectively.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	28. The stranger in the crypt

Chapter 28: The stranger in the Crypt

After both asked a traveller about the way to the Crypt, Dipper and Wendy made their way to the tomb, which was built into a mountain slope in the south of Hjaalmarch, not to far away from Ustengrav. The way up the freezing mountain was pretty easy, but the outside wasn't looking like they anticipated. Instead of a regular tomb, it was more cavelike.

The first room inside had this appearance, but with a number of torches and other nordic constructions around. They also heard two voices talking with each other.

"These Vigilants never know when to give up. I thought we'd thaught them enough of a lessons at their hall."

"To come here alone… a fool like all the rest of them."

"Wait, is Tolan… dead?" Wendy muttered.

"I think so. Crap. Poor guy."

"He fought well enough though. Jeron and Bresoth were no match for him."

While the vampires talked, Dipper and Wendy tried to get into a better position, from where they could attack them out of the shadows. If there wasn't a dog guarding them. They could take out two at once, and thus had to decide which one. Figuring that two vampires are probably more deadly than a dog, they both took aim at one.

Both vampires fell down as the bolt and the arrow respectively hit their heads. The dog attacked them, but quickly had a blade in the side. The dogs of these vampires were especially ugly, and had an undead vibe to them. The way out of the room was blocked by a gate, and they began to search for a way to open it. Eventually, Wendy found a pull chain inside a tower-like structure and opened the door.

"Look what I've found." She showed Dipper a sword, gliming red. It was obviously enchanted. "Should we keep it?"

Dipper shrugged. "Why not. Maybe Mabel can learn the enchantment later on. By the way, I've searched through the vampires."

"And? Found anything?"

"A bit of dust, and gold."

They walked through the now open door and arrived in another room. It contained a graveyard, and another vampire. Three skeletons rose from the ground, and attacked with swords. The first Skeleton attacked Dipper, but broke as an arrow pierced its skull. Wendy began to shoot bolts at the vampire, but the long reloading time made it hard to hit. The fireballs flying into her direction didn't make it easier.

Thankfully, one bolt hit the vampire in the belly, causing him to hold the wound. This gave her enough time to dispatch the two Skeletons, whilst Dipper killed the vampire. They searched through the remains, collecting a bit of gold and vampire dust. Dipper also found a chest in the corner of the room, which contained more gold and an Amethyst.

They had to pull another lever and got into a room with an enchanter and soulgem. Wendy go to the table. "What are you doing?"

"Mabel explained to me how to do that. Give me your Journal." She opened up the page where Mabel wrote down the first enchantment, and drew another pentagramm in it. She took the enchantment off of the sword, and put it on Dipper's bow.

"So, what is it?" The boy asked as he got his weapon back.

"I have no idea. There will probably be an enemy here to try it out."

They moved along, and saw two draugr fighting a Deathhound and Vampire. The two stayed hidden and waited for the battle to be over. After some time, the draugr were victorious, but couldn't bathe in their victory. The first one died with a blade in his ribs. Dipper took the second one out, and the arrow set it on fire.

"Ouh, Fire enchantment. Neat."

At the end of the hallway were four gates, each had its respective pull-chain next to it. They looked through the bars, and opened the one that would lead them forward. The next room looked like a cave again, and they spotted a vampire sitting at the end of the cave. Both took aim, and the vampire was impaled by a bolt and arrow, while burning. They moved through the room as three more skeletons rose up, only to be killed again.

The next room, which looked crypt-like again, was covered in cobwebs and dead Frostbites. The two managed to sneak up on another vampire, and Dipper shot an arrow in his spine. They searched through the room, and found an Invisibility potion on the ground.

The next room greeted them with another vampire and two Deathhounds. Dipper took on the Vampire, while Wendy took care of the hounds. After the battle, they looked through a chest, where they found a bit of gold and a soulgem. At the end of the tunnel, they found another large gate with a vampire behind it.

He fought a giant Frostbites, and both decided to help the arachnoid. They shot through the space between the bars, and took out both enemies. Then, Wendy pulled the lever on the left and proceeded.

On a pedestal ahead, they found a scroll and Wendy read it. Two Fireballs appeared in her hands. "Whoa. Did I just learn a spell?"

"Don't think so. I've heard a guard talking about that kind of stuff. Those scrolls are one time use."

"Dammit. Wait, do you hear that?"

They heard voieces echoing in the distance, and snuck up to the edge of the room they where in, and found out it was actually an balcony. In front of them was a giant cavern. The ground was filled with water, and a way led down to an elevated platform in the middle, while another, similiar way left the cavern on the other side of the room. The platform itself had some similarity to Stonehenge, with arcs and stones all over it. On the ground where four cricles, connected by stripes leading into the middle. They also saw two people interrogating someone.

"I'll never tell you anything. My oath to Stendarr is stronger than any suffering you can inflict on me."

"I believe you, Vigilant. And I don't think you even know what you've found here. So go and meet your beloved Stendarr." The Vampire took his sword and executed the Vigilant.

"Are you sure that was wise, Lokil? He st-" The vampire was cut off as an arrow dug into his neck. Lokil looked up, and saw Wendy and Dipper standing there. Before he could do anything, he was killed by a Bolt. Both got down to the vampires and searched through them. They found Dust, and a bit of gold.

The duo walked up onto the middle platform, and looked around. This place seemed important, and the vampires mentioned something important here. In the middle was a pillar with a button on top.

"So, who of us is gonna press it?" Wendy asked.

"I'm not." Dipper answered.

"You think I will?"

"Well, someone has to do it."

They thought for a moment, until Wendy has an idea. "I have an idea. Lets play a round of rock-paper-scissors."

Dipper nodded and they played. Wendy chose stone, and Dipper scissor. Thus, Dipper had to push the button. The first second, nothing happened, but then a spike emerged and impaled his hand. It disappeared just as quickly. "Fuck! Goddammit! Shit!" Dipper shouted out every swearword he knew while holding his bleeding hand, some of which Wendy never even heard of.

She quickly searched through their bag for a healing potion, while Dipper ran screaming in circles. She finally found one and gave it to Dipper. He drank it with one sip, and the wound slowly healed. After a mere minute, it stopped hurting and he catched his breath.

Suddenly, purple flames emerged from the ground, stopping at a bracier.

"So, what now?" Wendy asked.

"Don't know. Push the braciers?"

Wendy got to one of the braciers and pushed it to the outer ring. Purple flames appeared on top of it. They guessed that they had to lit up everyone of them, and began pushing and pulling them around. When pushing one, it still hurt for Dipper in the hand, and he thought that the wound wasn't fully healed yet.

Eventually, they had lit up everyone of them, and the purple flames moved from one bracier to the other, eventually getting back into the middle. A monolith emerged from below the button, and opened as it was fully visible.

Inside was a woman, who instantly fell down on her knees. They ran towards her and helped her up. She wore a black armor, with an redish cape tracked on. Her skin was extremely pale, and her eyes red. She also obviously had problems finding her words. "Uhh… where is… who sent you here?"

"I am Dipper Pines and this is Wendy Corduroy. We are from the Dawnguard."

"That's not a name I know. And it doesn't sound like a name a group of vampires would choose."

"Uhm, thats because we are, like, human." Wendy said.

"To be exact, someone named Isran sent us. The Dawnguard itself is still pretty small." Dipper added.

"Isran? I… I don't know who this is. Is he… like me?"

Dipper and Wendy traded some confused looks. "What do you mean with 'like you'?"

"A… can't you tell just from looking at me? A vampire."

Their eyes widened in shock, and they got ready to defend themselves. "You know, the Dawnguard would want us to kill you." Dipper said.

"Not fond of vampires, are they? Well look. Kill me, you've killed one vampire. But if people are after me, there's something bigger going on. I can help you find out what that is."

They had to admit, she was right. Those vampires definitely were after something, her, and she wasn't trying to kill them and drink their blood. "And why were you locked away?" Dipper asked, and put his bow back on his back.

"That's… complicated. And I'm not totally sure if I can trust you two. But if you want to know the whole story, help me get back to my family's home."

"And where would that be?" Wendy asked.

"My family used to live on an Island to the west of Solitude. I would guess they still do. By the way… My name is Serana. Good to meet you." They shook hands, and both noticed how cold Serana's hands were. "So, will you help me?"

"Yeah, we will. One thing though. What is that on your back?" Wendy nodded to the big scroll on her back.

"This? An Elder Scroll."

"Ah, okay. And how long have you been in there?" Dipper replied. He didn't really care about the scroll. After all, how important could one scroll be?

"Good question. Hard to say. I… I can't really tell. I feel like it was a long time. Who's Skyrim's High King?"

"Oh, yeah. About that. It is a bit of a trick question."Wendy replied.

"Really? Why?"

"Well, there was Torryg, but someone called Ulfric Stormcloak murdered him and began a Civil war." Dipper explained shortly.

"Oh, wonderful. A war of succession. Good to know the world didn't get boring while I was gone."

"Hmph. You have no idea." Dipper remarked.

"Who are the contenders?"

"On one side, we have the Empire, who support Elisif, Torygg's wife, and then the Stormcloaks, who want to free Skyrim and are led by Ulfric."

"Empire? What Empire?"

"The… Empire. From Cyrodiil. Nearly got wiped out by the Thalmor." Wendy explained.

"Cyrodiil is the seat of an Empire? I must have been gone longer than I thought. Definitely longer than we planned. Please, let's hurry. I need to get home so I can figure out what's happened."

They nodded an began to leave the cavern. They moved up one of the pathways, as two gargoyles, who decorated the ledges, came to life. They were quickly dispatched by the three tough. Dipper and Wendy were also able to witness that Serana used magic.

The three moved along, killing several Skeletons and Draugr along the way. The next room contained five skeletons, but also a draugr. At the other side of the room was a new word wall. They were scattered around a fiery pit. Serana and Wendy took on the Skeletons, and Dipper the Draugr. Both girls won quickly, and came to help Dipper in battle.

 _"FUS RO DAH!"_

All three were thrown back. At least this gave Dipper room for his bow, and he took aim. The arrow hit the Draugr in the chest, and he was set on fire. Wendy charged in and slashed at the waist of the Draugr with her sword. The Draugr cried out, and Serana began to cast a drain Vitality Spell. Dipper jumped on its back and stabbed an arrow in the undeads neck.

The Draugr, however, threw him of. He wanted to stab him with his sword, but all power suddenly left the monsters hands. His sword fell down, and his body followed shortly after. Wendy cut him in two at the waist, which wasn't armored.

She helped him back up and Dipper approached the Word wall. The chants got louder, and the Word burned itself into his mind.

 _ **Gaan-Stamina.**_

"What did you just do?" Serana asked.

"I learned a new Shout." Dipper answered, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"A Shout? Are you a Dragonborn?"

"Yes, yes I am."

"Ah. Interesting. Can we leave now?"

Wendy approached them from the big chest behind the Draugrs Throne. "I am ready to leave."

"Good. Lets go then." They entered a small hallway, and left the crypt. They got out at the other side of the mountain. "Ah. It's so good to breathe again! Even in this weather, it's better than the cave."

* * *

Mabel followed the instructions of Tolfdir, and got into the Arcaneum. From the name, she expected some sort of enchantment lab, but instead stood in a library.

Only two people were there. An Orc behind a counter, and a familiar face. He was preoccupied with a book, and didn't notice her until she screamed his name. "Grunkle Ford!"

He looked up, and was instantly captured in a hug. "Mabel! What are you doing here?"

"I am so happy you are okay."

He smiled. "I can say the same thing." They got out of the hug.

"So, what are you doing here?" Mabel asked.

"I got struck by lightning and then woke up here. I made my way to this place, and the College offered me to stay here after I explained the whole situation."

Mabel shrugged. "The same. Kind of. I am actually here to learn how to use magic responsible."

"Wait, you can cast spells?"

"Yeah, duh." She summoned a sword, and then made a mage light.

"Impressive."

"Also…" She got closer to him and began to whisper. "I am a Dragonborn."

He looked at he in shock. "What? You are the one who killed those dragons?"

"Yeah. Me, Dipper and Wendy actually."

"Dipper? Wendy? Are they here too?"

Mabel shook her head. "No, they're at a place called Dawnguard and hunt vampires."

"Hunting vampires?" He sighed. "I hope they are safe."

"I'm sure they are. And what did you do in here?"

"I tried to find out how to get home."

For Mabel, it was good to know that he did the same as they did. "Really? Found anything?"

"Not really. The stuff I've got from home isn't helpful either."

"Bummer. What do you have from home?"

"Ah, nothing special. Only a bit of junk I wanted to throw away into the bottomless pit."

She sighed. "Okay."

A Khajiit got up the stairs. "Hey, Mabel? Tolfdir said you should hurry."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." The Khajiit left again.

"What was that about."

"Nothing. I just have to go on a trip to a place called Saarthal with the rest of class."

"Oh, so we don't have more time to chat?"

Mabel looked sad at the ground. ,,I'm afraid so. But we can talk more as soon as I'm back."

"Okay then. I'll be waiting." Both waved goodbye at each other as Mabel set out for Saarthal. The two of them were equally happy that the other one was here.

* * *

 **And Chapter 28 is up, with the first appearence of Ford.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda, Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	29. Deep in Saarthal

Chapter 29: Deep in Saarthal

Mabel followed the Khajiit and met with the others outside of Saarthal. The ruin was located southeast of Winterhold. A couple of wooden paths led down to the entrance, where the rest of the class was already waiting.

"And here we all are. Shall we step inside?" Tolfdir said.

One of the students, the dunmer, raised her hand. "Is this place important somehow?"

"We're particularly interested in the prevalence of magical seals placed on the tombs here. It's rather unlike anything we've encountered."

"And what are we looking for?" The Khajiit asked.

"Anything! Anything at all that might be of interest. That's why I adore this location… we have no idea what we're going to find. And if, along the way, my message about the danger of magic should happen to sink in for a few students, that would be a happy coincidence."

To Mabel, that sounded like he was expecting a fight in there. Not that she had a problem with that possibility. Such a big group of mages could probably take on a dragon.

The group entered the ruin. The inside was clearly explored already, as a number of wooden ramps, bridges and platforms let down into the room. Urns and other artifacts were put aside in order, and no sign of Draugr, chests or treasure was to be found. "As some of you may know, Saarthal was one of the earlier Nord Settlements in Skyrim. It was also the largest. Sacked by the Elves in the infamous 'Night of Tears', not much is known about what happened to Saarthal. This is an exciting opportunity for us. To be able to study such an early civilization, and the magics they used…" For a moment, Mabel felt like she'd fall asleep. Even back home, she had never been one for theoretical subjects. "Well, are there any questions before we begin?"

Mabel raised her hand. "Is it possible that there are still Draugr in here?"

"It's highly unlikely. We've cleared out the entire tomb already. Now, let's see. What shall we have the rest of you do? Brelyna, my dear." He looked at the Dunmer. "Why don't you search for warding magics? Anything designed to keep people out. Don't interact with them, just identify them. All right, everyone. Onmund." He now turned to the nord. "Please search that area over there. See if you notice any… residual energies. Alive or undead." At last, he turned to the Khajiit. "J'zargo… what shall we have you do… Ah! Why don't you verify that we're the first ones here? Look out for any amount of tempering with the tombs. And you, Mabel. Why don't you see if you can assist Arniel Gane? He's one of our scholars, here working on cataloging our finds. I expect he'd appreciate some help in locating any additional magical artifacts here in the ruins. Any enchanted It's will do; the usefulness of the enchantment is irrelevant. If you find anything, the class can look it over. All right, everyone. Let's be careful, but have fun!"

Mabel began to search for Arniel, and finally found him in a hallway, hunched over a desk. "Don't touch anything." He said, without even looking at her.

"Are you Arniel?"

"Yes, I am. What's the matter?"

"Tolfdir said I should try to help you." Mabel explained, and looked at his desk. A couple of glowing rings were on it.

"What? Ah, yes. You. You're going to help? That's fine. Just… Just don't make a mess of my work. I've only looked through a portion of this section. You, uh, you can look in the chambers just north of here. Try and be careful, all right? We don't want to damage anything."

"Already done!" Mabel said and began to search the chambers for artifacts. She found three rings, and then a strange amulet hanging on a weird wall. As she took the amulet, the ground shook, and a gate dropped behind her. She was captured, with no way to get out.

Thankfully, Tolfdir heard the gate and arrived at the scene. "What in the world was this racket? Is everything all right?"

"Please help me. I'm trapped." Mabel yelled, and tried to melt the bars with a flame spell. They didn't move, or melt.

"How in the world did that happened?"

Mabel shrugged. "I don't know. I took this amulet and the gate fell down. And now I'm trapped. Please help me."

"Really? Perhaps the amulet is important somehow. Is there some way you can use it?" Mabel shrugged and put the amulet around her neck. A red Aura began to leak from the wall the amulet was hanging on. "Do you see that? Some kind of resonance… you and the wall. It must be connected to the amulet! I wonder… what effects might your spells have?"

She nodded and shot a Lightning Bolt at the wall. The wall literally exploded and the gate opened. "Whoa! Did you see that? Thats was awesome!"

"Well, would you look at that! This appears to lead somewhere. Let's see where it goes." They moved through the opened passage, and found themselves in a small room.

Three sarcophagi stood at the wall, and a table in the middle. "Well, this is highly unusual. And very interesting. Why in the world would this be sealed off? What is this place? I'm not sure what to expect here. Please be on your guard."

Then, everything went grey and time stopped. Mabel had an expectation who the cause of this was. "Bill? What do you want?"

She prepared her Spells to defend herself, as another Mage projected himself into the room. At least it wasn't the triangle causing this. "I'm not the demon. Know that you have set in motion a chain of events that cannot be stopped. Judgement has not been passed, as you had no way of knowing. Judgement will be passed on your action to come, and how you deal with the danger ahead of you. This warning is passed to you because the Psijic Order believes in you. You, mage, and you alone, have the potential to prevent disaster. Take great care, and know that the Order is watching."

"Wait, who are you? What is the Psijic Order?" Mabel asked, confused and scared at the same time. Without answering any questions, the mage disappeared and the flow of time resumed properly. "Why do people like this always have to speak in goddamn riddles?" She muttered.

"I… I swear I felt something rather strange just then. What just happened?"

"Some mage, ghost, thingy appeared, stopped time and spoke to me." Mabel explained.

Tolfdir stroke his beard. "I'm afraid I didn't see anything… Can you tell me more about what you just saw?"

To her, it kinda made sense that he didn't notice any of it. "Of course. As we got into here, time froze and this guy appeared. He said that there is danger ahead and something about some sort of Order."

"Which Order?"

"I think he called it the 'Psijic Order'."

Tolfdir was shocked. "The Psijic Order? Are you quite sure about that?" Mabel nodded. "That's very odd. And danger ahead? Why that doesn't make any sense at all. The Psijics have no connection to these ruins. An no one's seen any of their order in a long time. Perhaps we should look inside these coffins…"

The girl looked at one of the coffins. "Yeah, maybe not. I don't have the best memories of coffins in ancient ruins. But why are these Psijics contacting me?"

"I have no idea, but it's fascinating. Assuming it's true, of course. The Isle of Artaeum disappeared over a hundred years ago, and no one has seen them since. And yet now, suddenly. They have chosen to contact you? Why, it's intriguing! If nothing else, I'd take it as a compliment. The Psijics have only ever dealt with those they feel worth."

That made Mabel kind of proud, something that wasn't holding long. The coffins opened, releasing two Draugr and a new way. "Get ready!" Tolfdir yelled and began to cast Fireballs at the Mage draugr.

Mabel took one the other one, which held an ax. The blade of the ax swiped over her, and she casted flames at the draugrs feet. It tried to get back, and left its defense open. Mabel used the chance, and shot an Ice spike into the Draugrs head. Tolfdir had finished his opponent and complimented the young Dragonborn for how fast she took care of the Draugr.

They entered the next room, opened a gate, and found a room full of coffins. Immediatly, four opened and Draugr-Archers stepped out. Due to her light armor, Mabel was agile enough to dodge some of the arrows. The few that hit bounced off her armor, but left little marks where they hit. She shot more Ice spikes at the Draugr, taking out two. Tolfdir wasn't as agile as his student, due to his age. He had quickly taken care of another archer, as the last one got hit by a lightning bolt, lost his stand and fell down from the ledge. Mabel quickly summoned a Sword and stabbed it into the undeads head. "I've never seen anything like this in Nordic ruins before."

The sword disappeared, and Mabel looked at the Teacher in confusion. "What? Draugr? I am dealing with them weekly."

"No, I mean such a number of coffins in one room. This bears closer inspection. I'd like to stay a while and examine this. You, however, should press on. See if you can find whatever this vision of yours mentioned. But if it is truly dangerous, be careful. Go on ahead, I'll be sure and catch up with you before long."

She hesitated, but left eventually. Without anyone helping her, she felt lost, and scared. But Tolfdir gave her an order, and she was not willing to get kicked out of the school, or anger the Psijic Order.

After opening the gate in the next room, three Draugr jumped out of their coffins.

She summoned a sword, deciding to hold it in one hand while using the other one for magic. The first Draugr died with a blade through its chest, and Mabel chose to revive him to aid her. The undead Draugr took his sword and attacked one of the enemies. Mabel tried to get away from the fight, and drank a Magicka potion. Fit for battle again, she shot a Lightning bolt at one of the Draugr, who paid attention to her again.

Her zombie was fighting against the other Draugr in the meantime. Their blades clashed, and both killed each other at the same time, after which the zombie turning to ashes. Mabel shot a Ice Spike at the Draugr, and then another lightning bolt. He finally fell down, just as another coffin opened and revealed an archer.

 _"FUS RO!"_

The draugr stumbled back and missed. He tried to aim again, but had an Ice spike sticking out of his head. She searched the room, including the Draugr, for anything useful. While doing that, the girl noticed a rune on the ground. She wasn't willing to trust it and shot a lightning bolt at it, which caused it to explode into flames.

Mabel opened the iron door leading out of the room and found herself in a corridor. As she walked through it, she heard a clicking noise and immediately duck down. A volley of darts flew over her head, and she crawled until she could get up again. After opening a chest, she was attacked by two Draugr. They were quickly taken care of, her agility and ranged capabilities giving her the edge in the battle.

After the hallway, she was confronted with something far more cruel than a Draugr: A puzzle. She turned the stones to show the images above them, and pulled the lever. The door opened and led to a set of stairs.

After them, she was in a big room again. It was two-leveled, with only one draugr patrouling. It had a warhammer. Mabel didn't want to get into any trouble and shot it down from the bridge with an Ice Spike.

The young Dragonborn had to burn down some cobwebs, and activated another rune from afar. This time it exploded into electricity. The puzzle that followed took more time than usual, as turning around one pillar turned others around to. After a frustrating hour she finally did it and the door opened and revealed another corridor.

As she walked through it, she heard Tolfdir yelling from behind. "Hold on, girl. Hold on! I thought it high time I caught up with you."

"Finally. There were a lot of Draugr on the way here."

He catched his breath. "I know. I've seen the corpses."

"And some weird runes on the ground."

"Ah, yes. Rune Spells. If you are interested in them, you should pay Faralda a visit." Mabel made a mental node to do that. The runes looked useful.

They opened the door, and were amazed by what they saw. The two stood on a ledge, and on the lower level was a giant, spinning sphere. A blue Aura eminated from it, and casted some kind of ward. However, before they could investigate, a coffin opened and revealed a large Draugr. It had way more armor than the ones before, and wielded a Waraxe. A blue aura surrounded him. Both immediately shot a barrage of spells at him, but to no avail.

"What? How are we gonna do this?" Tolfdir looked around in the room. "Keep it busy! I'll try to drain some of its power."

 _"Qiilaan us dilon!"_

Mabel followed his instructions and attacked the draugr, blocking his ax with a summoned sword. After a couple of seconds, the blue aura around the Draugr became red, and it got incredible hot. "I've got it! Now kill him!"

 _"WULD!"_

She used her Whirlwind Sprint to get past the Draugr, and noticed his aura changing from a flaming red, to a icy white and finally a sparking purple. It was clear to her what she had to do, and she used a spell that would be different than the one the Draugr had as aura.

An Ice Spike hit through the purple aura, and pierced an unprotected spot at the waist. The Draugr led down his ax, and hit her armor. It held however, and gave her an opportunity to burn his face. The draugr yelled out and grabbed her by the head. He then threw her into the coffin, and charged at her. She quickly looked around, and grabbed some kind of staff. She pointed it into the Draugrs direction, and it shot a Lightning ball. The knockback caused her to fall on her back.

Thankfully, it had the same effect on the Draugr, and she was able to get up before him. His aura stopped for a second, and Mabel threw an Ice spike at him. The Draugr, however, was already back up and crossed the space between him and Mabel. He slammed his ax down, and cut her arm. The weapon was stopped by the armor, but the blade came through, cutting into her arm. She cried out in pain, and used her uninjured arm to cast a healing spell. However, she had run out of magicka, and started to search for a health potion.

As it prepared to finish her, a Fireball hit its back. It turned around and saw Tolfdir, who stopped his doing to save his student. He casted spells at the Draugr, until it fell. Mabel meanwhile drank the potion, and felt how her arm was repairing itself. It hurt even more when that happened, but two seconds later, it was repaired already.

With the battle over, she looked if he had anything valuable with him. She found a note and part of some kind of amulet. However, Mabel decided to read the note later, as the giant ball was more important right now. She quickly drank another healing potion and approached Tolfdir. "So, what the heck is this thing?"

"I have no idea! This is amazing. Absolutely amazing. The Arch-Mage needs to be informed immediately. He needs to see this for himself. I don't dare leave this unattented. Can you return to the College and inform Savos Aren of this discovery? Please, hurry."

"Okay, no problem boss." She gave him a thumbs up and left the room. Chants were hearable in the next room, and she found a word wall. The new Shout burned itself into her mind.

 _ **Liz-Ice.**_

At least she could make out roughly what it would do. Something with ice. Mabel decided to put on the amulet from the Draugr, thinking that it actually looked pretty neat. After getting gold and other treasure from the chest, she made her way back to Winterhold.

* * *

Meanwhile, two humans and a vampire finally arrived at the vampires home, which was a giant castle on a secluded island. Dark mist surrounded the building, and a giant stone bridge connected it to the small dock. "So, is this your home?" Wendy asked with a raised eyebrow. They still knew nothing about Serana, especially since she answered no important questions on the way here.

The woman looked over the castle, and smiled. "Yes, yes it is. Home sweet home."

"I wouldn't call it sweet. Looks more like a 90's horror movie." Dipper muttered, and received a confused look from Serana.

They crossed the bridge and stopped by a closed gate. "Hey, so… before we go in there… I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. But after we get in there, I'm going to go my own way for a while. I think… I know your friends would probably want to kill everything in there. I'm hoping you can show some more control than that. Once we're inside, just keep quiet for a bit. Let me take the lead."

The kids nodded. "Got it!"

"Okay then."

The guard greeted them. "Lady Serana's back! Open the gate!" The gate opened, and the watchman waved to Serana, but threw suspicious looks at the other two.

They entered the castle, and a vampire of dunmer origin approached them. "How dare you trespass here!" It seemed like he just now noticed her. "Wait… Serana? Is that truly you? I cannot believe my eyes!" He turned around and walked over to a balcony overlooking a food room. "My Lord! Everyone! Serana has returned!"

He was clearly excited. The three followed him into the dining room, and Dipper and Wendy had to hold back their need to throw up. A smell of death hang over the room, and bloody corpses, bones and organs laid on the tables. A number of Vampires ate from the humans, and Wendy could have sworn some of them were still alive. If anything, they wanted to get out as fast as possible.

A royal looking vampire stepped forward. He wore a outfit similiar to that of Serana. "My long-lost daughter returns at last. I trust you have my Elder Scroll?"

The two friends were surprised that this guy was Seranas father. "After all this years, that's the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll."

The Vampire put his hand on his forehead. "Of course I'm delighted to see you, my daughter. Must I really say the words aloud? Ah, if only your traitor mother were here, I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike."

"This guy seems like a real sunshine…" Wendy whispered in Dippers ear.

"Now tell me, who are these strangers you have brought into our hall?"

"These are my saviors, the ones who freed me."

Serana's father now looked at Dipper and Wendy. "For my daughter's save return, you have my gratitude. Tell me, what is your name?"

"I am Dipper and this is Wendy. Who are you?" Dipper tried his best to not make his fear visible, even though he had the feeling that he could sense it.

"I am Harkon, lord of this court. By now, my daughter will have told you what we are."

"Cannibals?" Wendy said snarky. She hoped that this guy had a sense for humor, although it was more judging than humorous.

"Not quite, though I can see how an outsider might arrive at that conclusion. No, we are vampires, along the older and most powerful in Skyrim." He clearly wasn't one for humor. Harkon began to walk up and down. "For centuries we lived here, far from the cares of the world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole away which I valued most." It sounded like he meant Serana, but Dipper was sure he meant the Scroll. What was so special about it?

"And now?" Wendy asked.

"There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the Elder Scroll and my daughter. I offer you my blood."

"What?" Dipper and Wendy shouted in unison, and took a step back.

"Take it, and walk as a lion along sheep. Men will tremple at your approach, and you will never fear death again."

It was pretty clear that he offered them to become vampires, something neither of them wanted to. The only good thing about that was the immortality, but even this was something the vampires back in the crypt kind of lacked. "A- And if we don't accept?"

"Then you will be prey, like all mortals. I will spare your lifes this once, but you will be banished from this castle." Now this was something both could life with. "Perhaps you need convincing? Behold the power!"

Harkon suddenly morphed into a abomination, something straight out of a demon film. His skin was green, with giant claws and bat wings. "I will accept your gift!" Wendy said.

"Wendy!"

"Sorry, sorry. I was in panic. We refuse." She changed her mind, much to Dipper's joy.

"So be it. You are prey, like all mortal. I banish you!"

He casted a spell, and teleported both back outside. Thinking about that they maybe just did something wrong, they entered the boat and made their way back to the Dawnguard.

* * *

 **And here's Chapter 29.**

 **Before anyone wonders, no, Wendy won't become a vampire. If anything, she'll become a werewolf.**

 **And now, to reply to some reviews:**

 **Glitter Bomb: Yeah, a lot of fanfictions concetrate on Dipper. Makes sense though, seeing as he's the main character of the show. I'm trying to give everyone equal 'screentime'.**

 **A potato: Yes, I'm taking my time, but I try to stick to the schedule.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	30. Reinforcements

Chapter 30: Reinforcements

After getting kicked out of Castle Volkihar, Dipper and Wendy decided to report back to the Dawnguard. Thus, they got back to Solitude and rented a carriage to Riften, from where they went back to the Fort.

At the entrance, they were greeted by three vampires attacking other members of the Dawnguard. They entered the battle, and after the vampires were defeated, Isran approached them. He gestured to the dead vampires. "Look at this. I should have known it was only a matter of time before they found us. It's the price we pay for openly recruiting. We'll have to step up our defense. I don't suppose you have some good news for me."

The two looked at each other. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it good news, but I don't think they are particulary bad either."

"Of course. Tell me what you know."

"First of, Tolan is dead." Wendy said.

"Damn. Those Vigilants are sometimes braver than strong." He shook his head. "Something else?"

"Those vampires were looking for a woman named Serana." Dipper explained. "She was locked away in the Crypt."

"A woman? Trapped in there? That doesn't make any sense. Where is she now?"

"She wanted to go home, so we helped her get back." Wendy said, and started drawing circles into the dirt with her foot.

He stared at them. "And…"

"And it turns out she is the daughter of a powerful vampire lord." Dipper finished.

Isran put his hands on his head. "And you delivered her to him. Something else I need to know?"

"Yeah, they have something called Elder Scroll."

Israns facial expression instantly changed into shock and horror. "They what? And you didn't stop them? You didn't secure the scroll?"

"Hey, we don't even know what an Elder Scroll is. And it was a whole castle full of fucking vampires." Wendy replied angry.

He sighed, and calmed down. "I suppose you're lucky you're not dead. Or worse, one of them. By the Divines, this couldn't get much worse. This is more than the three of us can handle."

"So, what? Are we giving up?"

"When did I say that? We just need… we need help. If they are bold enough to attack us here, then this may be bigger than I thought. I have good men here, but… There are people I've met and worked with over the years. We need their skill, their talents, if we're going to survive this. If you two can find them, we might have a chance."

"And where are they?" Dipper asked.

Isran smiled. "Right to the point, aren't you? I like that. Not like those fools in the order. We should keep it small. Too many people, and we'll draw unwanted attention to ourselves. I think we'll want Sorine Jurard. Breton girl, whip-smart and good with tinkering. Fascination with the Dwemer. Weapons in particular. Last I knew, she was out in the Reach, convinced she was about to find the biggest dwarven ruins yet."

"And you are sure that she'll help us?" Wendy asked.

"Might need a little convincing first, but she should. You'll also want to find Gunmar. Big brute of a nord, hates vampires almost as much as I do. Got into his head a few years back that his experience with animals would help. Trolls in particular, from what I hear. Last I knew he was out scouting Skyrim for more beasts to tame. Bring the two of them back here, and we can get started on coming up with a plan. Watch your back."

They nodded and set out for the two recruits after eating a bite. To find them, they decided to ask in Riften if someone knew Gunmar. Thankfully, someone on the market place knew him and said that he is tracking down a bear to Clearspring Tarn, which was located near Shor's Stone.

They got to the little lake, which they had to admit was beautiful. At a small path, leading up to a cave, they saw a Hunter. "Hey! Are you Gunmar?" Wendy asked as they got closer to him.

He turned around, and held his hand up, silently telling them to stay where they were. "Yes, but hold fast! I've tracked this damned bear for two weeks; I'll not let it have any more victims."

"Listen, Isran needs your help."

Gunmar was confused. "Isran? Needs someone else's help? Never thought I'd hear that. I'm afraid he's a few years too late. I've moved on. I have more important business to attend to. Besides, he can handle anything alone! He assured me so himself. So what could he possible need my help with?"

"Vampires. Lots of them." Dipper answered.

"Vampires? That… Well that might change things. Tell me more about what's going on."

The boy shrugged. "We don't know, only that they have an Elder Scroll."

"By the eight… All right, I'll hear out Isran, see if there's anything I can do to help. Where do you expect me to go?"

"Fort Dawnguard. You know where this is?"

"Yes, I know. He's been working on this place for years now. Never lets anyone in. His own little fortress. Well, I guess I'll get to see what he's been up to all this time. I'll meet you there."

He left, and Wendy opened the map. They searched for something called Reach, and finally found it far in the west. It looked like a pretty mountainous area. They decided to go to a place cold Karthwasten and ask there for help.

* * *

The way there was extremely harsh, with the weather and mountains getting to them. In the end, however, they finally arrived in Karthwasten, which was a small mining village between some mountains.

However, instead of asking around peacefully, they saw some settlers arguing with a group of soldiers. "I want you sellswords out of my mine."

"Watch your tongue, native. We'll leave when we're sure there's no Forsworn here."

"Oh! And when would that be, I wonder?" One of the settlers, probably their leader, gestured to the buildings. "When I sell my land to the Silver-Bloods?"

"The Silver-Bloods have made you a very generous offer for this pile of dirt. I suggest you take it."

The mercenaries left to the mine, and the two approached the townsfolk. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing. Just a little land dispute between me and the Silver-Bloods. They sent those mercenaries here to slowly get us out of town."

"Maybe we can help?" Dipper offered.

He let out a small laugh. "You can try, but don't expect any miracles." The leader sat down on a chair, whilst Dipper and Wendy approached the leader of the soldiers.

"Hey. We want you and your men to leave." Wendy told him in a strict voice.

"For which reason?" The leader asked them. At least he was willing to speak with them.

"Everyone in this town wants you to leave." Dipper answered.

"Let's see them make us." The leader replied amused.

Wendy facepalmed, but had an idea. "Okay then. I think we'll just kill you." She said while unsheathing her Sword.

The Leader stepped back, even though the blade had only left the sheath half. "Whoa. Wait a second. I was just kidding. We'll leave. We'll leave."

He got his men and ran away. The two looked after him. "Wow. He got scared by a twelve year old and a teenager." Dipper mentioned.

"Yeah, what a pussy."

Dipper and Wendy got back to the Townleader. "I don't think they will bother you anymore."

His eyes widened. "Really? Thank you two. Here, have this." He gave them a purse with 800 Gold. "If we can do anything for you, just tell us."

Wendy put the money away. "Actually, we are searching for someone with the name Sorine Jurard. Heard of her?"

"Ah, yes. We have. She came through here some time ago. She wanted to find some kind of Dwemer ruin. Give me your map and I'll show you where she went." They handed him their map, and he marked a location near a river. They thanked him and set out to finally get Sorine.

The Ruin she found was surely not the biggest ever, but it looked way more advanced than the rest of Skyrim. As soon as they came closer, the woman working at the ruin turned around and approached them. "You haven't seen a sack of dwarven gyros lying around, have you? I'd swear I left it right here. Do you think mudcrabs might have taken it? I saw one the other day… Wouldn't be surprised if it followed me here. Just look around, will you?"

The forwardness of the woman surprised the two. "First of, hello. Second. Isran needs you."

This caught Sorines attention. "Isran? Wants me? No, you must be mistaken. He made it exceedingly clear the last time we spoke that he had no interest in my help. I find it hard to believe he changed his mind. He said some very hurtful things to me before I left. Anyway, I'm quite happy with my current pursuits. So if you'll excuse me."

Dipper looked around. "You are in the middle of nothingness looking at a pillar, while getting robbed by crabs."

"Good point. What does he need help with?"

"Vampires. They've got an Elder Scroll." Wendy explained.

"Vampires? Really? Oh, and I suppose now he remembers that I proposed no less than four different scenarios that involve vampires overrunning the population." Right now, she reminded Dipper a bit of himself. "That they have an Elder Scroll, however, this is something I never would've anticipated. Interesting. I'm not sure what they would want with one, but in this case Isran is probably correct in thinking it isn't good. Very well. Where am I supposed to go?"

"Dawnguard. You know where this is, right?"

"Ah, has been working more on his secret hideout, has he? It'll be interesting to see how much progress he's made. I'll finish up here and head in that direction as soon as I can. See you two there."

Thus, they left to get back to Dawnguard. At the entrance of the Fort, they found out that Gunmar, as well as Sorine were already there. Isran raised up the gates around the entrance room, capturing the four inside. "All right, Isran. You've got us all here. Now what do you want?"

"Hold it right there." A bright light began to shine from the center.

"What are you doing?" Sorine asked.

"Making sure you're not vampires. Can't be to careful." He shut of the light, as no one of them disintegrated. "So, welcome to Fort Dawnguard. I'm sure you've heard a bit of what we're up against. Powerful vampires, unlike anything we've ever seen before. And they have an Elder Scroll. If anyone is going to stand in their way, it's going to be us."

"This is all well and good, but do we actually know anything about what they're doing? What do we do now?"

"We'll get to that. For now, get acquainted with the space. Sorine, you'll find room to start your tinkering on that crossbow design you've been working on. Gunmar, there's an area large enough for you to pen up some trolls, get them armored up and ready to use." He then looked at Wendy and Dipper. "In the meantime, we're going to get to the bottom of why a vampire showed up here looking for you. Let's go have a little chat with it, shall we?"

Isran left the balcony and Dipper and Wendy looked confused at each other. "You don't think…"

* * *

Mabel got back to the College and went into the Arch-Mages quarters, which were circulate, like every room in the college, with all different kinds of ingredients growing in the middle. The walls were covered by shelves, stuffed with ingredients, potions and soul gems.

Savos sat on a chair and noticed Mabel as she entered the room. He was a dunmer, and wore expensive robes. "You are relatively new here, are you not? I have noticed you, but we have not spoken, neice of Stanford."

"Not really, no."

He stood up, and shook her hand. "I am Savos Aren, Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold. I am quite content to see nearly any aspect of magic explored and investigated here. But I do not and will not approve of any research or experiments that cause purposeful harm to your fellow members of the College. Are we clear?"

Mabel rolled her eyes. As if this wasn't something she was aware of. "Yes we are. You don't need to worry about me killing anyone. I'm here because we need to talk about Saarthal."

"Please don't tell me that another one of the apprentices has been incinerated. I have enough to deal with right now."

"Another one?" Mabel stepped a foot back. "No, no. We've found some kind of glowing orb. Tolfdir thinks it might be important."

"I see. I trust that Tolfdir will provide a more… specific explanation. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Tolfdir normally looks after your little group, yes? Since he's apparently occupied, and I will need to see this discovery for myself, I think perhaps you should begin researching the subject. Speak with Urag in the Arcaneum. See if he is aware of anything that matches your discovery. And… Good work. The next time you find yourself exploring nordic ruins, perhaps this will be helpful."

He handed her a staff, and went down to Saarthal. She followed his instructions and entered the Arcaneum, where Ford still read books. "Ah, you're back. How did it go?"

She sat down across from him. "Well, I guess. We found some sort of magical orb. You don't know anything like that, do you?"

Her Grunkle thought for a moment. "No, doesn't ring a bell. In other matters, do you have your phone?"

"Yes, here." She handed Ford her phone and he began working. "What are you doing?"

"I think I found a way to get those things running with destruction magic."

"You mean I can load it with a Lightning Bolt?" Mabel asked excited.

"Yes, normally it would overcharge and destroy the phone, but with a few tweaks it should work. There." He handed it back. The side next to the display, where the input for the cable was normally located, had a box attached. Mabel shot a Lightning Bolt at it. The screen got bright, and showed that it was full.

"Thanks Grunkle Ford." She hugged him. While they were hugging, Ford noticed Ancano entering the Arcaneum. He was suspicious of him since they first met.

He approached them and tapped on Mabel's Shoulder. "You there. I have a question for you. You were in Saarthal, yes? It has come to my attention that something was found there."

"Maybe…" Mabel answered. Ford could hear the uneasiness in her voice.

Ancano crossed his arms. "I know full well that you have. Please do not insult my intelligence. Tolfdir is still there now, is he? I shall expect a full report when he returns."

Angered, the elve left the Arcaneum again, and Mabel could have sworn that Urag chuckled. "Mabel? Do you know him?"

"Nah, but he is obviously an Thalmor, which means he is not a good guy." Mabel said.

"Did you have a run in with them?"

"Yeah, me, Wendy and Dipper sneaked into their embassy and stole some documents."

This took Ford by surprise. "Wow. Never expected that from you."

"Uhm, thanks? Now, do the people here know that we are not from here."

"I've explained it to a handfull of them, including Tolfdir and the Arch-Mage. They are quite willing to help us." Ford looked at the clock around his wrist. "And I think now is a good time for you to go to bed."

"Oh. But why?"

"You are in a College here, not on vacation. You have to sleep."

Mabel sighed in defeat, and rolled her eyes. "Okay. Good night."

"Good night, sweetie."

She left, leaving Ford and Urag alone in the library. "Your niece seems nice." He said, still sitting behind his counter.

"Yeah, she is. Still, something felt off. I think there's something bothering her."

Urag leaned back. "Just go and talk with her about that, as soon as you have the time."

He smiled, and nodded in agreement.

* * *

 **And Chapter 30.**

 **Now to reply to some reviews:**

 **guest: Well, he was surrounded by vampires eating people, so that was a bit of a red flag for him. Also, none of them know of Werewolves by now, so there wasn't really an desicion between the two for him.**

 **Glitter Bomb: The Dark Brotherhood will appear, but I won't tell yet what happens to her. As for your second question, no, it wasn't Veezara. It was just some random assassin. And don't worry, there's no such thing as too many questions. Still, it's interesting that it reflects your choices. Let's see how long that holds.  
**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	31. The orb

Chapter 31: The orb

Mabel woke up fairly well rested the next morning. She immediately set out for the Hall of Elements to talk to Ford a bit more. Inside, however, there was the last thing she anticipated. In the middle of the hall, above the well, hovered the orb from Saarthal. Tolfdir and Ford were already inspecting it. She wondered how the hell they got it out of the Ruin, and approached the two.

"Mornin'. Everything alright?"

"Ah, good morning Miss Pines." Tolfdir said.

"Morning, Mabel." Ford greeted.

"Yes, everything is alright. We are just trying to find out more about this, this thing." Tolfdir explained.

"And did you find anything?"

Tolfdir pointed at a couple of symbols on the orb. "Well, I'm sure you've already noticed the markings. They're quite unlike anything we've seen before. Ayleid, Dwemer, Daedric, Falmer. None of them are a match. And your Great Uncle is just as clueless. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, it sadly is. I've travelled between Dimensions for 30 years, but nowhere did I see those markings."

"Now, I'm not sure you're quite as attuned as I am, given my extensive years of experience, but can you feel that?"

Mabel thought about it for a bit, and really noticed a weird, strengthening feeling. Like energy flew through her. A bit like when she used a Shout. But more faint.

"This marvelous object. It practically radiates magicka, and yet it's unlike anything I've felt before. The Arch-Mage Aren is already hard at work, and hopefully we'll have more information soon." Tolfdir said, litteraly in awe about the object.

"I could ask an old friend I met between the dimensions, but I don't have the means to do it." Ford added. "And even if I had, he doesn't believe in magic, even though he litteraly beat up the devil. Thankfully, Urag had this book with him." Ford pulled out a book from his coat. "It's called Night of Tears. It could help."

"Wait, does this mean hell exists?" Mabel asked.

"Yes and no. From what I've gathered, there are multiple dimensions that are similiar, but none of them is the biblical version. However, some of them are more dangerous then others. For example, there is one that lurks between the dimensions like a cancer cell, and absorbs other dimensions. According to the scriptures I found, they absorbed a dimension called Arge-"

Fords little lecture was interrupted by a certain Thalmor. All three silently sighed, as none of them really trusted him. "I'm afraid I must intrude. It is urgent that I speak with your associate immediatly." He looked at Mabel.

"This is inappropriate! We are involved in serious business here!" Tolfdir yelled.

"And I was just giving a lecture."

The Thalmor rolled with his eyes. "Yes, no doubt of its gravity. This, however, is a matter that cannot wait."

"Well, I'm quite sure I've never been interrupted like this before… the audacity!… I suppose we'll continue this at some later time, when we can avoid interruptions." Tolfdir said, and both adults shifted their attention back to the orb.

Mabel followed Ancano. "What is going on? Did I do something wrong? Is it about the thing I accidently burned down?"

He stopped, and stared at her. "You did what?"

The girl looked around in panic. "Nothing you can proof."

Ancano sighed, and started walking again. "Whatever. Allow me to clarify the situation. I'd like to know why there's someone claiming to be from the Psijic Order here at the College."

"Wait, what? Psijic Order?" Mabel could already guess where this was going.

"Yes, and more importantly, I'd like to know why he's asking for you specifically. So, we're going to go have a little chat with him, and find out exactly what he wants."

Mabel crossed her arms. "Why are you concerned? Or are you just jealous that he wants to see me instead of you?"

"I'll be the one asking the questions. All you need to know is that the Psijic Order is a rogue organization, believing themselves to be above the law. They have clashed with the Aldmeri Dominion before, and I have no Intention of allowing that to happen here."

Mabel stopped. "Wait, I thought you were an advisor for Savos?"

"Technically, that is true. But I still report to the Aldmeri Dominion, and I cannot ignore this situation. Don't worry, you can return to your petty squabbles and meaningless 'research' as soon as this matter is resolved."

Mabel slowly got angry. If it wouldn't be forbidden, she would have just put a bit of electricity through him. He was extremely arrogant, a trait the Thalmor all seemed to share. She also had the feeling that something was going on here. Then again, she was here to get help with her little aggression problem, so doing this would be extremely counterproductive.

They stopped before the Arch-Mage's quarters. "Now, you are going to speak to this… Monk… and find out why he is here, and then he will be removed from College grounds."

They entered the quarters, where the Arch-Mage and the Psijic were already waiting, and time instantly froze. "Please, do not be alarmed. I mean you no harm. It is good to meet you in person."

Mabel shrugged. "Welp, and I'm here. What's the matter?"

"The situation here here at your college is of dire importance, and attemps to contact you as we have previously have failed. I believe it is due to the very source of our concern."

"Which is the orb, am I right?"

"Yes, you are quick. This object… The Eye of Magnus as your people have taken to call it. The energy coming from it has prevented us from reading you with the visions you have already seen. The longer it remains here, the more dangerous the situation will become. And so I have come here personally to tell you it must be dealt with."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"You set this chain of events in motion at Saarthal."

"So it's my fault?"

"Kind of, but you couldn't know what would happen. You must understand, the Psijic Order does not typically… intervene directly in events. My presence here will be seen as an affront to some within the Order, and as soon as we have finished, I will be leaving your College. I'm all too aware that my presence has aroused suspicions, especially in Ancano." He nodded to the Thalmor.

"Oh yeah, about him." Mabel took a piece of paper, and wrote something with charcoal on it. She then put the piece of paper on the Thalmors back.

"Was that necessary?"

She nodded. "Yes, yes it was. Go on."

"As you may have learned, this object… The Eye… is immensely powerful. The world is not ready for it. If it remains here, it will be misused. Indeed, many in the Order believe it has already…" He paused for a moment, to give Mabel time to process the information. "Rather, something will happen soon, something that cannot be avoided."

"I'll help then. What do I need to do? Blow it up?" She hoped for a yes.

"No. We believe that your effort should be directed towards dealing with the aftermath, but we can not predict what that will be. I fear I have already overstepped the bounds of my Order, but I will offer this: seek out the Augur of Dunlain here in your College. His perception may be more conherent than ours."

"Who is that? I've never heard that name."

"He was once a student here at the College. Now he is… something different."

"A Ghost?"

"No."

"A Spirit?"

"No."

"A Draugr?"

"No."

"A Soldier?"

"No."

"A Ghost?"

The monk slowly became annoyed. "No. Listen. Ask your fellow mages here in the College where he is."

"Okay, but I have one question."

"Which is?"

"Why should I trust the Psijic Order?"

"I presume you refer to Ancano's distaste for the Psijic Order? The Thalmor see our order as a threat because we have power, and we will not allow them to control us. I assure you that we mean no harm."

That actually fit in pretty well in her picture of the Thalmor. Suddenly, time began to resume normally.

"I'm sorry, where you about to say something?" Savos asked the Monk.

"Well? What is the meaning of this?" Ancano added.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand." The Psijic replied.

"Don't play coy. You asked about a specific member of the College. Here she is. Now what is it you want?" The Thalmor said.

"There's been a misunderstanding. Clearly I should not be here. I shall simply take my leave." All three were irritated. Ancano and Savos by the Monks words, and Mabel because he chose such a bad way to bail out.

"What? What trickery is this? You're not going anywhere until I find out what you're up to!" Ancano put a hand on the monks shoulder, but he shook it off.

"I am not 'up to' anything. I apologize if I have offended you in any way."

"We will see about this…" Ancano left with the Psijic to escort him out of the College. The sign on his back, which read ' _I've got a stick up my ass'_ , was clearly visible. Mabel could have sworn Savos had to try not to chuckle.

"I'm… I'm not sure what happened. A monk from the Psijic Order here, after all those years, and then he just loves. I hope we didn't offend him somehow"

Mabel turned towards the Arch-Mage. "Have you ever heard of the Augur from Dumlain?"

"It's Dunlain. Has Tolfdir been telling stories again? I thought I made it quite clear that this was a subject inappropriate for conversation. Please don't allow him to discuss the subject." Savos took a book that laid on the table, and left to the back of his room to put it back into its place.

Mabel now knew who to ask. She just hoped Savos wouldn't learn about her 'Insubordiantion'.

She got back down, where Ford made a drawing of the Eye in his Journal. From the glimpse she got of the cover, he named it number four. "Tolfdir? Have you ever heard of the Augrur of Dunlain?"

The teacher turned around, and looked at her surprised. "You mean the Augur of Dunlain? There's a name I haven't heard in some time. My goodness, it's been years since I've spoken with him. I suppose he's still down in the Midden, but I haven't checked. Are you going to see him? Do tell him 'hello' for me, won't you."

"Will do, and where is this 'Midden'?"

"Underneath the College. It's not the nicest place, so if you go down there, please be careful."

"Don't worry. Until later." They both nodded, and Mabel set out for the Augur.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other end of Skyrim, Mabels friends were greeted by a familiar vampire. Isran led the two to a room, which was obviously reserved for torture. Different devices for that purpose stood around, with the ground covered in blood. "This Vampire showed up while you were away. I'm guessing it's the one you found in Dimhollow Crypt. Says it's got something really important to say to you. So let's hear it."

Serana turned to the two. "You probably weren't expecting to see me again."

"Not really, no. Something happened?" Wendy asked.

"No, nothing happened."

"What are you doing here then? I mean, you are a Vampire and everyone here hunts Vampires." Dipper replied.

"I'd rather not be here either, but I needed to talk with you. It's important, so please just listen before your friend, here, loses his patience." Behind her, Isran grunted. "It's… well it's about me. And the Elder Scroll that was buried with me."

"Screw the Scroll. What's with you?" Dipper said.

"The reason I was down there… and why I had the Elder Scroll. It all comes back to my father."

"Yeah, I guessed that already." Wendy told her. Isran nodded in aggrement.

"My father is not exactly a good person. Even by vampire standards. He wasn't always like that, though. There was… a turn. He stumbled onto this obscure prophecy and just kind of lost himself in it." Serana looked at the ground. It seemed like it really was hard for her to talk about it.

"What prophecy? And what do you mean by lost himself?"

"The Prophecy is vague, like all of them. The part he latched onto said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. That's what he's after. He wants to control the sun, have vampires control the world. He just became absorbed… obsessed. It was kind of sick, actually. Anyway, my Mother and I didn't feel like inviting a war with all of Tamriel, so we tried to stop him. That's why I was sealed away with the Scroll."

"And you want us to help you?" Isran asked.

"Exactly."

"Wait a sec." Dipper interrupted. "What do you mean with control the sun?"

"I'm not sure. Like I said, it's very vague. But I thought the Dawnguard would be interested to know about a vampire plot to enslave the world. And I need your help to convince the rest here to trust me."

"No problem."

Isran turned to them. "So, is there any reason why I shouldn't kill this bloodsucking fiend right now?"

"Holy shit, just set your hatred aside for a sec. She isn't here to cause trouble. She wants to help us." Wendy explained.

Isran sighed. "It can stay for now, but if it so much as lays a finger on anyone here, I'll hold you two responsible, got it?" He turned to face Serana. "You hear me? Don't feel like a guest, because you're not. You're a asset. In the meantime, don't make me regret my sudden outburst of tolerante and generosity, because if you do, your friends here are going to pay for it."

"Thank you for your kindness. I'll remember it the next time I'm feeling hungry. So, in case you didn't notice the giant thing I have on my back, I have the Elder Scroll with me. Whatever it says, it will have something that can help us. But of course, neither of us can read it."

"Really? Why?" Dipper wanted to know.

"It blinds anyone except the Moth Priests." The vampire explained. "Not that this helps us anyway, because they're half a continent away in Cyrodiil."

"Some imperial scholar arrived in Skyrim a few days ago. I was staking out the road when I saw him pass by. Maybe that's your moth priest." Isran suggested.

"Do you know where he is staying now?"

The hunter shrugged. "No, and I won't waste men looking. We're about to fight a war against your kind, and I intend to win it. You want to find him, try talking to anyone who'd meet a traveler. Innkeepers and carriage drivers in the big cities maybe. But you are on your own."

Serana turned back to Dipper and Wendy. "Any idea how we are going to find a Moth Priest? Skyrim's a pretty big place."

"We haven't been here for long ourselves. Do you have one?" Wendy asked.

"Well, back before I… you know. The College of Winterhold was the first place I'd think to go for any kind of magic or historical thing. The Wizards know all kinds of things that people probably shouldn't know about."

"The College?" Wendy and Dipper looked at each other. They could go there and visit Mabel along the way. "Okay, let's go there then." Thus, the three set out for Winterhold. Dipper and Wendy were exited to see Mabel again, and find out how she improved.

* * *

 **And Chapter 31 is here.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **Glitter Bomb: Thanks for the review. Nice to know that you're sticking around. It's interesting to see how long the choices are the same like in your playthrough, especially in a game like Skyrim.  
**

 **A Watermelon: Well, her 'dark side' is kinda the reason she's there in the first place. As for the 'her', it referred to the Brotherhood. I don't know why I wrote 'her'.**

 **Bayoboo: Don't worry, she will be. (At least for a short time)**

 **Elder Scroll belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	32. Augur of Dunlain

Chapter 32: Augur of Dunlain

Mabel left the Hall, and started to search for the Midden. However, the entrance seemed to be well hidden. Luckily, she met J'zargo outside. They talked for a bit, and after she was sure that he was trustworthy, she explained him the situation. "The Midden, eh? Wait, here." He handed her a Spell Book. "This is A Fireball Spell. I found it in Saarthal, but have no use for it. You can have it. I've heard that there are Ice Wraiths down there."

Mabel took the book, and opened it. "Thanks. You know where it is?"

The Khajiit nodded, and led Mabel to the entrance, which consisted of a trapdoor near a wall. "Good luck."

"Don't worry about me." Mabel said, and entered the Midden. Inside, she started to make her way through the catacombs.

There were a few enemies along the way, including the mentioned Ice Wraiths, which were easy to take out with the Fireball spell. To Mabel's surprise, even the Wraiths looked somewhat like dragons, even though they had more of a similiarity with the asian version.

Eventually, she reached a room with a hand in the middle. There was a table with a book in an alcove. It looked like some sort of summoning ritual. Mabel opened the book, and read through it. It described how some students went missing here, leaving only rings behind. Apparently, they were stored inside the Arcaneum. Mabel made a mental note to investigate that, and put the book back in place.

A couple of minutes later, the girl finally reached her goal. The door was locked, so she knocked. A gravelly voice was heard from behind the door. "Your perseverence will only lead to disappointment." Mabel knocked again. "Still you persist? Very well, you may enter."

The door opened, revealing a large, floating mass of energy. "Are you the Augur of Dulein?"

"Dunlain. Yes, yes I am. Your efforts are in vain. It has already begun. But those who have sent you have not told you what they seek, what you seek."

"I know what I'm seeking. You. So that you can tell me about the Eye."

The... 'thing' chuckled. "Knowledge. The Thalmor sought the same thing, and it shall lead to his end as it has so many others."

"Wait, I'm not the first one here?"

"No, though you may be the last. The one who calls himself Ancano has sought my knowledge as well, through very different questions. Your path differs from most. You are being guided, pushed towards something. It is a good path, one untravelled by many. It is a path that can save your College. I will tell you what you need to know to follow it further."

"And what is your problem with knowledge? Isn't it a good thing?" Mabel asked in confusion.

"In itself, yes. But the hunger for it can lead to catastrophe. Take your uncle for example. His search for answers led him make a deal with the being that the Daedra fear."

Mabel sighed. This thing was way more intelligent than her, so a discussion with it would be lost before it even started. "Yeah, yeah. What do I need then?"

"You, and those aiding you, wish to know more about the Eye of Magnus. You wish to avoid the disaster of which you are not yet aware. To see through Magnus' Eye without being blinded, you require his staff. Events now spiral quick towards an inevitable center, so you must act with haste. Take this knowledge to your Arch-Mage."

"You can count on me." She was turning towards the door, but the Augur stopped her.

"Before you leave. I know what's troubling you."

"What? You mean the, well, evil me?"

"It's not evil." The being replied. "It's just your negative sides. You've buried them deep, didn't you?"

"I... I don't wanna talk about that."

"Then talk about it with someone else. Shutting off parts of you is not an answer. Under that pressure, you'll crumble." He replied.

Mabel nodded, and left. Sure, she was here to get help with that, but now wasn't the time, and she definitely didn't want to embrace the bad parts of herself.

Without saying a word, she went back up to the Quarters of the Arch-Mage. He was still sitting in his chair, reading a book.

"I need to tell you something. It's, like, really important." Mabel said, getting the mage's attention.

He put the book down on the table. "Really, and what might that be?"

"We need to find the Staff of Magnus."

The Mages eyes widened. "I'm sorry, what? Well… I'd certainly love to have such a powerful staff, but I'm not really sure that any of us need it."

"But it has something to do with the Orb."

The eyes of the Mage narrowed, staring at Mabel. "And how do you know of this?"

She smiled, and rubbed the back of her head. "Well, I know you said not to, but I... kind of spoke with the Augnur of Dunlain."

"Did you really? And you still can't remember his name?"

"Yeah, not really."

"And he specifically mentioned the Staff of Magnus?" Savos thought for a second. "I… I'm impressed with your initiative. Of course, someone will need to follow up on this."

"Let me guess, this someone is me, right?"

Savos nodded. "Precisely. Since you went so far as to seek out the Augur for advice, I thought you'd be more enthusiastic. Something as specific as the Staff of Magnus… I'm not sure we'd ever find something like that… I seem to recall Mirabelle mentioning the Staff somewhat recently. Why don't you see if she can tell you anything? I'm quite pleased with your progress, you know?"

Mabel smiled. "Really?"

"You've certainly proven yourself to be more than a mere apprentice. Well done. As a little help, I will teach you some advanced Spells."

"Really?"

The Arch-Mage stood up and pulled out three books from a shelve. "Here. Take these. I'm sure you can use them responsible."

She opened the books, and learned her three new Spells. They were called Ironflesh, which she guessed was a better version of Oakflesh, conjure Frost-Atronarch, and Flame Cloak. "Thank you. I won't let you down."

"I hope so." He sat back down, and continued to read his book.

Mabel sought out Mirabelle, who was looking out of a window down to the ocean. Since they was far in the north, the ocean was frozen over. Still, there were a couple of ships visible in the distance, selling wares from far away.

"Mirabelle? Do you know anything about the Staff of Magnus?"

She turned around, and looked down to Mabel. "Well now that's an odd question. Why in the world would you be asking?"

"The Arch-Mage said you mentioned it."

"I see. Well yes, I suppose I did mention it, though I'm not sure what he expects me to tell you. I only brought it to his attention a few months back when the Synod showed up here looking for it. They were apparently under the impression we were keeping it in a closet somewhere."

"And who's the Synod?"

"Mages based out of Cyrodiil. They fancy themselves the Imperial Authority on magic these last few hundred years. My understanding is that all they really do is make noises in attempt to curry favor from the Emperor. Lots of politics, little magic. I was quite suprised to find them on our doorstep. They seemed amiable enough, but their line of questioning made me… uneasy. It became clear that they're trying to horde powerful artifacts, looking to consolidate power." Mirabelle explained. Thanks to her voice, it was clear that she had a strong distaste for the Synod.

"And where is it now? The Staff I mean."

She shrugged. "The Synod seemed convinced it was somewhere in Skyrim. They inquired about the ruins of Mzulft, but that's all I remember. It sounded like they were heading there, though they were rather secretive about why. I suppose if you're intend on looking for the Staff, there's a chance they might be in Mzulft yet."

"Okay then. Thanks for the info. I will be on my way. Where is this ruin?"

Mirabelle showed the location on Mabels map. It was southeast of Windhelm, and she should be there fast. She waved goodbye and got down into the town. Here, she bought some proviant and rented a carriage to Windhelm. From Windhelm, she began to make her way to the Ruins of Mzulft.

* * *

Dipper, Wendy and Serana finally arrived in Winterhold. They expected the Town to be cold, but it was freezing. Thankfully, they wouldn't need to search for the College. The giant building was visible from far away. They wanted to go up the bridge, but were stopped by Faralda. "And who might you be? New students seeking our College?"

Wendy smiled. "No, we are just here to find something out."

"Hmm. Okay, come in." She let them through, and followed them across the bridge. "And what is it that you seek?"

"We need to find out the location of a Moth Priest." Dipper explained.

A Moth Priest? If you want to know about this matter, go into the Arcaneum and talk to Urag Gro-Shrub."

"Okay, and where is the Arcaneum?" Dipper asked, as they entered the big courtyard.

"See the big building? When you enter, go up the stairs to your right."

"Okay, thanks." They entered the building, where a surprised Dipper and Wendy found someone familiar. "Grunkle Ford?!"

He turned around. "Kids!" Ford ran to them and they hugged. Except for Serana.

"What are you doing here?"

"Trying to find out something about this Orb back there." Ford pointed to the Eye of Magnus. "And you tw-" He noticed Serana. "Three? Do you want to visit Mabel?"

"That too. But we need to find out about a Moth Priest." Serana said.

"And who are you?" Ford asked, and shook her hand.

"This is Serana. She's a vampire."

"I thought you tried to become Vampire hunters?" Ford asked.

Wendy shrugged. "Yeah, it's complicated."

Dipper and Wendy explained the situation to him. "Ah, I see. Good luck then."

"And where is Mabel?" Dipper asked.

"She…" He thought for a moment. "Good question."

At this moment, Mirabelle entered the room from the Arch-Mage's quarters. "She is in Mzulft, trying to find the Staff of Magnus."

"Okay, I don't have any Idea what that means." Wendy mentioned.

"It isn't important for you." Mirabelle said, and left the building.

"Mind if I come along into the Arcaneum?" Ford asked. The three shrugged, and all entered the Library. Ford pointed to the Ork behind the counter, and they approached him.

"Ah, Stanford." He looked at Dipper. "Is this the nephew you spoke about?"

"Yes Urag. These three want to ask you something. Go on. Ask."

"We need to see a Moth Priest." Serana said.

"A Moth Priest? What in Oblivion do you want a Moth Priest for."

"We need someone who can read this Elder Scroll." Wendy pointed to the Scroll on Seranas back.

The Ork's eyes widened, both in shock and curiosity. "I see. The obvious answer is to go to the Imperial City. The Moth Priests make their home in the White Gold Tower. Sometimes they go out looking for Elder Scrolls. Lucky for you, there's a Moth Priest in Skyrim right now, doing just that. He stopped in to do some research in the library, then left for Dragon Bridge."

"Ah, we know where this is."

"Yep, back to Square one." Dipper said.

Just then, a loud roar echoed over the College. "Oh no."

They ran out, and saw a giant dragon circling over the building. He was already under fire from the local mages. He sat down on a roof.

" _TOR SHUL!"_

Fire swapped over the courtyard, and everyone got into cover behind one of the pillars. "So, this is what you are dealing with normally?" Ford asked.

"Yeah, basically." Dipper shot an Arrow at the Monster, and hit its snout, which began to burn. Wendy pulled out her Crossbow.

"If I had my Weapon now…" Ford muttered, and looked at the kids. Wendy and Dipper were gone. He looked around the pillar and saw both attacking the landed dragon.

The Dragon tried to bite Wendy, but bit into her shield instead. She tried to hold the dragon down, a futile try, as the Monster was way stronger. Luckily, a fireball hit the Repitle, causing it to loose its grip. The Dragon's head hit the Ground, and she jumped on it.

The Dragon tried to shake her off, but his power slowly left as he received one stab after the other. Eventually, Wendy lost her own grip and fell down. The Dragon turned around and hit her with his tail. She flew back into one of the pillars. Dipper jumped on the monsters back, and shot arrow after arrow at the Monsters head, while the mages fired spells at the Creature. Finally, the Monster fell down.

His body was covered in black spots, showing where spells hit him. His hide began to evaporate, as Dipper absorbed his soul. He looked over to Wendy, who was already being healed by one of the mages. She joined them.

"So, this just happened."

"Those dragons are becoming a real pest." Wendy said while kicking the ribcage of the fallen monster. One of the rips fell down.

"That was amazing." Ford said whilst approaching them.

"Umm, thanks." Dipper said. "You are not worried? I mean, that must be one of worst things you ever encountered."

"Oh no, I am. But if what I know is right, then you are the only ones who can kill one of those." He said proudly. "Also, I've seen way worse monsters"

"Oh, come on. What can be worse than a giant dragon?" Wendy asked.

"Ever heard of the Flood?"

"No." Dipper replied.

"And you better hope it stays that way." A shiver went down his spine. "So, you are going to Dragon Bridge?"

Serana joined them. "I guess that's our goal now. Want to come along?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't just stop my research on the Eye of Magnus. It could provide a way home."

Dipper hugged his uncle. "Okay then. It was nice to see ya."

"Yeah, it was. Good luck."

"You too!" They parted ways again, and, the vampire hunters began their way to Dragon Bridge.

* * *

 **And Chapter 32 is out.**

 **For anyone who hoped they'd reunite in this Chapter, sorry, but this will happen later.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **Bayoboo: I mean that it won't be the case for long, as in it won't happen through Lycanthropy. Also, no one else will show up, except for Stanley.**

 **Glitter Bomb: Pacifica and Barbas are gonna be in the next Chapter, so you'll see what's going on with them next week. And good that you've an account now. But don't worry, you're not annoying.**

 **Dorwall: The thieves guild is not going to make an appearence. At least not a big one, so no. One of the main reasons is that it's hard to write combat situations for someone who's using a bow.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	33. Mzulft

Chapter 33: Mzulft

The three arrived in Dragon Bridge, but there was no Moth Priest to be found. However, thanks to the Guards in the town, they found out that he left into the direction of Falkreath. Thus, they decided to follow him as far as possible. Along the way, they found a destroyed carriage. Imperial Guards laid dead on the ground, and blood was scattered all over.

"What happened here?" Wendy asked, and turned over one of the bodies. The head of the guard was bashed in pretty bad. They looked around the site, and found another body.

"This is a vampire." Serana said. She looked through his pockets, and pulled out a note.

 _"I have new orders for you._

 _Prepare an ambush just south of the Dragon Bridge. Take the Moth Priest to Forebears' Holdout for safekeeping until I can break his will._

 _-Malkus"_

"The Vampires attacked this carriage…" Wendy said.

"…and took the Moth Priest." Dipper finished. "Do you know who Malkus is?"

"He's part of Father's court. Great in Illusion magic." She was quiet for a bit, and thought. "Forebears' Holdout. I know this place."

"Really? Where is it?"

"Near the road to Morthal. It's a cave."

Wendy kneeled down next to the dead guard, and closed his eyes.

"So, you know where we need to go? Then what are we waiting for? We need to be there before they kill him." Dipper said. All agreed and followed Serana to the Cave.

The inside of the Cave consisted of one giant room. Fallen trees and plantlife were all over the place, and a giant temple stood in a corner. They were able to see some kind of magic ritual taking place inside, at least judging by the blue energy coming out of the temple.

They snuck up to the first group of Deathhounds, how Serana called them, and took them out with ranged attacks. After that, they crossed the bridge, and heard two guards talking above them.

They entered the temple over a wooden ramp, and looked down into the courtyard. A vampire stood next to a campfire, accompanied by a Deathhound. Dipper took aim and shot an Arrow at the Deathhound, which stepped back out of surprise, right into the fire. The vampire spotted them, but instantly had a Bolt in his head.

The three entered the courtyard, and went up to the next floor by using a wooden ramp. There was another small campfire, with an imperial corpse beside it. They went up again, and saw a Vampire casting some kind of spell against a magic forcefield.

"That's Malkus." Serana muttered. "I could've guessed that he'd try something like that."

Inside the field was who they assumed to be the Moth Priest. Two bandits and a vampire stood beside them. Serana explained that those bandits were thralls, and that Malkus probably tried to turn the Priest into a thrall too.

"The more you fight me, the more you will suffer, mortal." The Vampire said.

"I will reist you, monster. I must!" The agony in the Priests Voice was clear.

"How much longer can you keep this up, Moth Priest? Your mind is strong, but you're exhausted from the struggle."

"Must… resist…"

"Yes, I can feel your defense crumbling. You want it to end. You want to give in to me. Now, acknowledge me as your master!"

"Yes. Master."

That was enough. Wendy charged out of cover and stabbed the first thrall through the heart. Dipper stayed back and used his bow to take the Vampiremaster under fire. Serana took on one of the vampires, and used her magic to kill it quickly. Malkus began to stumble, and was finished by an arrow to the head. Dipper heard footsteps behind him, and turned around. The second thrall tried to stab him, and he instantly shouted.

" _FEIM!"_ The blade hit, but Dipper felt nothing. He was surrounded by an blue aura, while the thrall still tried to hit him. The blade wasn't able to get through the shield. But Dipper knew that this would not hold forever, and so he kicked the thrall in the knee. It fell down, and Dipper finished him with an arrow.

"What was that?" Wendy asked. She wanted to help him up, but he was already on his legs when she arrived. Serana was looking through Malkus' pockets.

"A shout. I think it was the one we found in Ustengrav."

"And apparently it makes you invincible. Great that we found out what it does. That reminds me, did we ever bring the Horn to the Greybeards?"

"Uhm... I knew we forgot something." Dipper said. "Wait, where is the Horn?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Barbas and Pacifica were still trying to figure out a way to get rid of the Ebony Blade. While searching through the stuff the twins brought along, Pacifica found a strange Horn. Since she saw a couple of those things hanging around Whiterun, she hang it onto the wall, filled it with wax, and made a torch out of it.

"Looks good."

"Yeah." Barbas said.

* * *

They turned around and saw Serana walking up some stairs. "What are you doing?"

She held up a weird stone. "This is a Wayward Focus. We need it to stop the Ritual." She put the stone into the altar, and the forcefield disappeared.

Dipper and Wendy ran up to the priest, and helped him up. "Everything okay. We've got you."

"I serve my master's will. But my master is dead, and his enemys will pay!" They stepped back as the Priest grabbed the Sword from his back, which looked a lot like an Katana.

He clashed blades with Wendy. "Serana? What is going on?" To her surprise, the blade held, even though Katanas were normally pretty weak, at lest on Earth. Then again, they were in another dimension, and it was probably made otu of better materials.

"He is still a thrall. But the curse is fresh. Maybe if we beat him he comes to his senses."

"Beating sense into him? Sounds good." She still blocked the Katana. She saw the Priests hand getting engulfed in flames, and felt the Fireball hitting her chest. She was thrown back a few feet, and the fire left a scorch mark on the armor.

Dipper used the chance to try out his other new Shout. _"_ _GAAN!"_ He felt his Stamina coming back, and red energy streaming from the Preist towards him. It looked like the shout the Dragon back in Whiterun used to suck the life out of the guards.

The Priest went down. Dipper ran at him to attack, but stopped as the Priest began to speak. "Wait, Stop!"

Dipper stopped his charge and needed a few feet to stand still. "I yield! That… that wasn't me you were fighting."

"Hmph. It looked like you." Wendy said as she got up.

"I could see through my eyes, but I could not control my action. Thank you for breaking that foul vampires hold over me."

"No need to apologize. Or thank us." Serana said, as she walked down from the shrine.

"What? You didn't do shit." Wendy said angrily. After she calmed down, she gave the man a healing potion. "Are you alright?"

"I'm quite alright, thanks to you." The Mothpriest got up again. "Dexion Evicus is my name. I'm a Moth Priest of the White-Gold Tower. These vampires claimed they had some purpose in store for me, but they wouldn't say what. Probably holding me for random, the fools."

"We know why. And it is the same reason we need you." Dipper explained.

"Alright then, enough mysteries."

"We are from a group called the Dawnguard. And we need you to read an Elder Scroll."

"You have an Elder Scroll? Remarkable! If my knowledge of history serve me, I recall the Dawnguard was an ancient order of Vampire hunters. I will be happy to assist you with you Elder Scroll. Just show me where I need to go."

Wendy took their map, and showed him the location. "Fort Dawnguard. We will accompany you there." Wendy said.

The Priest nodded, and they got back home, where Isran was already waiting. "I'm impressed you could find a Moth Priest so quickly."

"Trust me, it was harder than it looks." Dipper said.

Serana handed the Priest the Scroll. "Oh no. I'm not ready yet. I have some preparing to do."

"Seriously?"

"Welp. Guess it's time to hit the beds then." Wendy said as she clapped her hands together. Dipper shrugged and they called it a day. Wendy, however, was asked to come to the forge, where Sorine was waiting.

"I've heard you like the crossbow."

"I mean, it's good for killing vampires."

"Here. This is for your help here at the Dawnguard." She handed her an new Crossbow, which looked similiar to Dippers old bow. "This is an Dwemer Crossbow. It's still a prototype, but I think it is ready for a field test."

Wendy smiled, and nodded.

* * *

In the next morning, after eating a good breakfast and looking around a bit, they were finally ready to read the Scroll. Dipper used the last evening to watch the armored trolls, and add some things to the Journal Page.

"And? Are you ready?" Isran asked the Priest.

"Oh, most certainly! Let's find out what secrets the scroll can tell. Now, if everyone will please be quiet, I must concentrate." Dexion opened the Scroll, and a bright light shined into his face. "I see a vision before me, an image of a great bow. I know this weapon! It is Auriel's Bow! Now a voice whispers, saying 'Among the night's children, a dread lord will rise. In an age of strife, when Dragons return to the realm of men, darkness will mingle with light and the night and day will be as one'. The voice fades and the words begin to shimmer and distort. But wait, there is more here. The secret of the bow's power is written elsewhere. I think there is more to the prophecy, recorded in other scrolls. Yes, I see them now… One contains the ancient secrets of the Dragons, and the other one speaks of the potency of ancient blood. My vision darkens, and I see no more. To know the complete prophecy, we must have the other two scrolls. I must rest now. The reading has made me wear."

Isran put a hand on the Priests shoulder. "Come on, old man. You should get some rest." The Priest nodded and walked towards the sleeping quarters.

"So, we need two more." Dipper muttered. "Anyone knows where to find one?"

"I know of one." Sorine said. She was standing in the hallway, and overheard the whole thing.

"Where?"

"Before I went to Reach, I've talked a bit around in the College of Winterhold. Appearently, Urag Gro-Shrub knows where to find someone who knows how to find one."

"Okay then. We'll go to the College. Again."

"Hey, cheer up." Wendy patted Dippers back. "Maybe this time we'll get to see Mabel."

He smiled. "Yeah, you're right."

With that, the next step was clear. Getting the other two Scrolls.

* * *

Mabel already heard that the Dwarves, or Dwemer, disappeared thousand of years ago, but what she found southeast of Windhelm was not what she expected.

Around the ruins were pipes sticking out of the ground. Steam ran through them and probably powered some kind of machinery. Finally, at least some kind of modern environment. But that raised the question how an advanced race like the Dwemer disappeared. She followed the footsteps on the ground to an entrance at the hill.

Mabel went inside, and it was pretty warm. Mabel guessed that this was due to the steam running through the pipes on the wall. The walls were grayish, with golden pieces all over it.

A man leaned against the wall in a corner. A puddle of blood surrounded him. The girl ran to him and looked if he was still alive. Thankfully, he was still breathing. "Crystal… Gone… Find… Paratus… In Oculary…"

His breath got weaker, and stopped. "No. Stay alive." Mabel equipped her Healing Spell, and hovered her glowing hands over the wounds. But to no avail. She sighed, and closed his eyes.

An idea crossed her mind, and she raised the guy from the dead. She knew it would only last so long, but he could at least tell her what happened. "What happened here?"

"Gaah."

"Uhm, can you talk?"

"Gaah."

"Can you say anything else other than 'Gaah'?"

"Hnng."

"Welp, so much for that plan. I guess I'll have to find this Oculary. Whatever this is." She walked to the door, but it was locked. "Great. Hey, do you have a key?" She asked the zombie.

"Gaah." She facepalmed and searched through his pockets, where she found a key. It fit into the lock, and the door opened. She was in a hallway, where a part of the wall collapsed, and plants invaded the ruin. Several metal shelves stood at the walls, containing a good amount of pottery and other metal objects.

"Is everything here made out of Metal?" She asked while picking up a dinner plate. A weird sound appeared behind her, and the Zombie turned into a pile of ash.

Down the hallway, she stepped on a pressure plate, and a dozen giant spike came down before her. Would she have been a bit faster, they would have killed her. After they retracted, she moved along, passed the corpse of another Synod researcher, and saw some grinding gears in the distance.

Something was working at them. It looked like a spider, but made out of metal.

"Seriously? Robots?" The Spider noticed her and prepared to attack. The small claws of it could make fast work of flesh.

Mabel shot an Ice Spike at the Spider, but it had no effect. The Spider lunged in, and Mabel casted her Ironflesh Spell. The Robot was unable to get through the shield, and got cut in two with a summoned sword. She wanted to catch her breath, as another one attacked through the steam before her. Luckily she still had the blade, and cut it in two as it was still in the air. Those things were no joke, and would cause trouble in large quantities.

She just hoped that there wouldn't be any bigger robots up ahead. Two more Spiders waited in the next room, but were quickly taken care of. She took the door to the north, and accidently activated a tripwire. A couple of spears came out of the ground before her. This place was teaming with traps. Thankfully the trap impaled another one of the Robot Spiders.

The ramp behind the door led to a left turn, after which another door needed to be opened. As Mabel opened it, a Spider attacked her. She wasn't able to get up her Shieldspell, and one of the claws dug into her flesh. Adrenaline started to go through her body, and she grabbed the monster and threw it away from her. She then shot a barrage of Fireballs at the Spider, which was too much for it. After calming down, she put a hand to the wound. It was deep and bled. Using the Healing Spell, the wound closed, and stopped hurting a short time later.

The next, short corridor quickly became a cave. There even was a tree growing inside. The two barrels standing by the cave wall implied that the Synod had their camp here.

In the next room was a giant bug feasting on another dead Synod member. The Chaurus noticed her and spit acid in her direction. She jumped out of the way and shot an Fireball at the creature. It flinched and stepped back, before trying to jump at her. She saw the giant, bloodstained chelicerae. Mabel jumped out of the way again, and climbed on the monsters back. She summoned a sword, and stabbed the creature in the head. It fell down.

Mabel looked around while patting the dust off of her armor. There were more barrels, a bit of food, two bedrolls and a satchel with ingredients. She took the satchel, planning to give the ingredients to Dipper, and continued. There was a tripwire, which she noticed this time, and two more Chauri across the hallway.

She shot a fireball at them, and thus attracted the bugs. Mabel had already figured out how the trap worked, which wasn't very hard thanks to the cart full of stones above the way. As they walked under it, she cut the wire and caused the stones to fall down and crush the Chaurus. After the hallway, the cave changed back into a dwarven ruin.

She turned right and walked up a ramp, as a ball jumped out of a pipe on the wall. The ball transformed into a full robot, which looked a bit like a human. It had blades for hands. However, it looked like it wasn't able to swipe down, and thus Mabel was relatively save thanks to her shortness. She got into a place where it could not hit her, and shot one Spell after the other at it, until the Robot broke down. The young Dragonborn noticed a Soul gem falling out of the wreck, and wondered what they were for.

At the next junction, another Spider attacked her. She duck, and the Robot hit a Ballbot, how she nicknamed them, that came out of a pipe behind her. Both Robots seemed to not get along anymore and began to fight each other. Mabel waited until the ball finished of the Spider, and finished it. She took the way to the left, and found a pit with another spider and one alchemy table. The spider attacked instantly, but was destroyed fast.

Some time later, she found another tunnel, with two corpses inside. One was a Frostbite, and the other one some kind of elf. Mabel kneeled down to inspect the corpse. The 'thing' lacked eyes, and had a dirty, grey skin. Bits of armor covered his body from the chest down. By the looks of it, it was definitely not a friendly creature. She continued, and found two more dead Frostbites, accompied by a dead Elf.

At the bottom of a ramp were the remains of some robots. This caused Mabel to get ready, something must have destroyed them after all. She looked into a corridor, and found another one of the Elves. Only that this one was alive.

It carried a bow made out of chitin. Mabel guessed that it was blind, and tried to sneak past. However, the blindness of the thing caused it to have excellent hearing. It shot into her direction, and Mabel rolled out of the way. She activated Ironflesh and shot a Fireball at the Monster, which backed up and tried to run. It tripped however and impaled itself on one of the Dwarven Spiders legs.

In the corridor was another human body, which belonged to a member of the Synod. It became clear what happened. Either the robots, or the elves, attacked and killed them.

She got up an incline and got attacked by another elf. His sword hit the ground, and Mabl kicked him in the back, causing the Monster to slide down the incline. With the distance between them, Mabel began to cast Spells until the Elf fell dead.

Mabel followed the way, and found two more Falmer patrouling a room. She decided to try out her new Conjuration and summoned a Frost Atronarch. To her surprise, it was the same golem the Draugr under Ivarstead summoned. It drew enough attention that Mabel could shoot Fire at the Falmer. After roughly a minute, the Atronarch disappeared. Thankfully, it did a great job and killed both Falmer.

The next room with enemies had another Elf with two more Bugs around. It looked like the bugs were some kind of pet or cattle for them. Luckily, this time she was able to sneak around the group. Whenever there were more elves, she either tried to sneak past or used the strategy with the Atronarch. After some time, she reached a big, open room.

She spotted four elves inside, and thought about a way to deal with them. She finally settled on a strategy and conjured a Atronarch. The Golem rammed one of the elves, breaking its bones. She summoned a sword and got into a battle with a sword wielding elve. Mabel casted a Flame Cloak, and set the Elve on fire. It ran around before it finally fell down. She then proceeded to raise the Falmer as a zombie. The last two elves were quickly overrun by the three enemies. With the room clear, the Atronarch disappeared, and the Zombie turned into ash. She had to admit, although it may be a bad trait for zombies that fight for you, it could have been handy during the incident back home. Especially the cleaning up.

The girl looked around and found three exits. One was locked, which left two. She took the one to the east, which lead to another door and two dead elves. Mabel opened the door and saw a new robot. It was bigger than the ones before, roughly 3 meters tall. One hand was equipped with a Hammer, while the other one had an ax as weapon.

It began to take steps towards her, but then stopped. It looked for a second, before spitting boiling steam into Mabels direction.

She jumped out of the way, and tried to close the door. However, the giant just broke through it. At least this thing was determined. Once again, it spit steam. This time, however, Mabel noticed something. When it spit the steam, a number of servos on his shoulder moved.

An idea brew in her head, but she had to get near him for it to work. She casted an Ironflesh spell and picked up a piece of metal.

"WULD!"

She dashed behind it and climbed on its back to the shoulder. Mabel then rammed the metalpiece into the shoulder and blocked the machinery. Now it would only need to let out steam again. The Dragonborn ran away, dodging blows along the way. The Centurion tried to spit steam again, but nothing came out. Mabel quickly grabbed a piece of the broken door, and used it as cover.

The parts in his shoulder couldn't pump through with the metal blocking them. Thus, the Steam build up inside the monster, causing it to explode. Shrapnells flew around the room, and bounced off the walls, so that some hit Mabel. Thankfully she had her healing Spells.

She got up, and looked around. The room looked like a battlefield, with scorch marks and metal scattered everywhere. The wreck of the Centurion, which only consisted of its legs and lower body, were smoking on the ground.

She went into the room the monster was in, and found a key. With it, Mabel unlocked the door, and found herself in front of another one. She tried out the key, but it didn't work.

Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind the door. "G… Gavros? Is that you? I'd almost given up hope. Let me get the door." Before Mabel was able to say anything, the door opened. There was a Mage in robes. "What the… What are you doing here? What've you done with Gavros?"

"Woah. Calm down, I didn't do anything to him. When I entered the ruin, he was already dying. I even tried to save him."

"Ah. It was the Falmer, wasn't it? Curse them! They've ruined everything!" The Mage said, clenching his fists.

"Sorry, but Falmer?"

"Those elves this ruin is teeming with. If Gavros is gone, there's no hope. He was supposed to return with the crystal… Without that, all our efforts are waved. And you. If you are here for the treasure, wisdom or anything, I'm afraid you wasted your time."

"Why? Is there no way ahead or…"

He interrupted Mabel. "No, we need a crystal. Gavros was supposed to bring it here, but now that he is no more."

"A crystal? I think one of those falmer back there had one." Mabel said, and pointed into the destroyed room.

"Really?" The Synod member ran out and came back with a crystal in his hands. "That's it. You may not know it, but you just saved this little project. Who are you anyway. You look a bit young to be here."

"I'm here in the name of the College of Winterhold. I'm searching for the S-"

Upon hearing of the College, the Mage got angry. "You are? Savos wouldn't even grant us an audience when we came to you, but now you come here expecting something from me? I don't much like this, I'll tell you. But you saved my skin, so maybe I can overlook the past for now. Come on, I'll explain on the way." Mabel followed the guy up a ramp into a room with a giant machine in the middle.

Severeal circles with blue glass on them surrounded a plattform with glass on it. It looked like the circles were movable. "No matter what Gavros said, this was my idea first. The Council is going to know that when I get back. I was the one who thought of using this… this Oculary. I don't know what the dwarves called it. Something unpronounceable, I'm sure. From all our research, it seems they were intend on discerning the nature of the divine. This machinery, all of it, was designed to collect starlight, and then… I'm not sure. Split it, somehow? It was my idea to replace one of the key elements with our focusing crystal. Months of enchantment went into it. Let's just hope they got it right this time. Place the crystal in the apparatus and we can start the process."

Mabel put it into the machine like told. The apparatus flipped upside down. "Now the crystal needs to be focused." He began to explain in detail what was to do now. Mabel followed his instructions, and finally all lights were pointing into the middle. The light then projecting a map of Skyrim on the wall. There were two glowing points on it. One in Winterhold, and one in Hjaalmarch. "Years of work, finally going to pay off. But what's this? These results… They're not at all what they should be. This protection should be lit up like the night sky… Something is creating an incredible amount of interference. Something in Winterhold, it looks like."

Mabel was speechless. She knew what the source of it was.

"What are you playing at?" The Synod said while turning around with venom in his voice. "Is this some attempt to stall my work? So, what is it? What have you done? Did you know what we were attempting? Are you here to make sure your plan worked, that our efforts have been for nothing? Well, explain yourself."

"I didn't do anything!" Mabel defended herself. "But I think I know what causes it."

"And what is it then?"

"It's called the Eye of Magnus."

"The Eye of Magnus? Well, I suppose if that means what I think it does… Well, that's interesting… You said you were searching for something?"

Mabel nodded. "Yeah, the Staff of Magnus." Mabel looked at the protection again. "Wait, if one of the beacons is the Eye, then could the other one be the Staff?"

The Mage nodded. "Probably. It seems like it is in Labyrinthian. But you still ruined years of work. I'm going back to Cyrodiil and deliver my full report to the council. This is not over, I assure you."

"LIZ!" Mabel froze the Synod on the place.

"Sorry, but I can't afford you to stop me from leaving." She stole his key and left the ruin through the last door in the room with the four Falmer, and locked it behind her. Her mind told her to kill him, but she didn't want to. He wasn't a bad guy, he was just doing his job, even if he was paranoid. And as long as he was only frozen, he'd melt, and be free to go. The worst thing that could happen to him right now would be catching a cold.

She came out on a mountain range behind the entrance, and made her way back to Winterhold. As she got up the bridge, something was in the air. It felt weird. She picked up paste. The two moons were shining down on the college, as she entered the Hall of Elements.

Inside, she saw Mirabelle, Savos and Ford standing in front of a ward. Inside, she was able to see a figure at the Eye. The three were currently in a conversation. "I don't know. It's like a ward, but who's casting it? Ancano? How?"

"I don't know what it is, I want it down now! I want to know what he's doing in there!"

"What the hell is going on?" Mabel asked.

"Ah you're back. Ancano. He's in there, doing… something. We don't know what. We're trying to get in now. I will have his head for this, I assure you. Help take this down, will you? We're throwing everything we can at it." Savos said, and began to cast a Shockspell at the ward, while Mirabelle was doing the same with Ice. Ford just stood in the back, unable to do anything. However, he held a hand in his coat, ready to draw something, in case it was needed.

Mabel used her flame spell and casted it at the wall. It finally disappeared, opening the way inside.

"What's going on?" Mirabelle asked the Thalmor as they were entering the Hall. Ancano was casting some kind of spell at the Eye. And, to Mabel's amusement, he still had the note she wrote on his back.

"Ancano! Stop this at once! I command you!" Savos yelled.

"Yeah! Stop it!" Mabel yelled. "Whatever you're doing!"

Savos got closer to the Thalmor. "Don't go near him!" Mirabelle yelled, as an explosion ocurred. Then, everything went black.

Mabel got back to consciusness, only to see the ward up again, this time stronger. She was in the entrance to the hall, with Mirabelle and Ford. Savos was missing however. "Are you okay Sweetie?" Ford asked her.

"I… I think I'm okay. Besides the headache. What happened?"

"Ancano. He's doing something with that thing. And we can't stop him like this." Ford answered.

"And we haven't seen Savos since the explosion." Mirabelle added. "He must've been blown clear, and he may be injured. I need you to find the Arch-Mage. Quickly."

"And you?" Mabel asked, and wiped away the blood that came out of her nose

"I'll be fine. Go find Savos."

Mabel left the Hall, and saw the last thing she wanted to see. There was Savos, on the ground. Not moving. She went up to him to feel his pulse, but there was nothing.

"What's happened? He's not…" Sergius, one of the teacher, asked as he ran to the scene.

"I'm afraid he is..." Mabel said while trying to hold back her tears.

"Everyone please, stand back! Please remain calm! Are you alright? What happened in there?" Mabel looked up and saw the familiar face of Tolfdir. A crowd of people has gathered around.

"Ancano. He… he is doing something with that damn orb." Ford said. He was just leaving the Hall.

"By the nine. There's more. Something happened in Winterhold. It must be whatever Ancano did. You need to get out there and make sure it's safe. Quickly now, quickly! I'll find Mirabelle and see if we can put a stop to this." Tolfdir ran inside.

Mabel got up and began to get to the bridge, followed by Ford. Faralda was waiting for them. "What's going on? What happened in there." Next to her was Arniel Garne.

"Ancano did something to the Eye. Tolfdir said that Winterhold may be in danger." Mabel explained.

"May be? Take a look." Faralda gestured towards the town. Blue lights were flying around everywhere. "There is no doubt. Let's go down there. We have to do something. Come on, Arniel. Let's go."

"Do we have to? They'd never lift a finger to help us."

"Yes, we have to." Mabel said to Arniel. "And now come on and move your sorry ass."

Ford and Faralda were a bit surprised at Mabel's outburst, but were happy that it actually caused Arniel to move.

They ran down the bridge, and saw a number of Wrath-like beings attacking the city. "What are this things?" Mabel asked.

"I don't know. But I know that they are attacking. Come on everyone."

Mabel took aim with a Fireball and hit one of the creatures. It definitely did some damae, but not much. The Wrath attacked her by ramming. Although it would normally don't do damage, as soon as the thing connected, pure electricity flew through her. Suddenly, the thing exploded, and all that was left was a pile of ash. She looked where it came from, and saw Ford with his Energy Pistol. Another Wraith attacked her, but was taken out quickly. Some time later, the four have managed to take out all the monsters, and met at the bridge.

"That looks like it was the last of them. We'll stay here." She looked at Mabel and Ford. "Get back to the College and let them know what's going on. Arniel, stay on your Guard. We can't let come harm to these people."

"You should try to evacuate them to a safe place." Mabel said, and the two nodded.

With that, Mabel and Ford went back to the Hall of Elements, where Mirabelle was already waiting. "Well? Is everything out there alright?"

"Yep. All safe. As long as those things don't respawn." Mabel joked.

"Wish I could say the same for us. Tolfdir and I can try and keep this contained. You need to get your hands on the Staff of Magnus. Now."

"What? Why me?"

"Yes, wouldn't a teacher be better for this?" Ford said, agreeing with his neice.

"We've go to stay here and see if we can get Ancano and stop this. I need someone I can trust to do it. Besides, your the one having all those visions, aren't you?"

Mabel didn't want to admit it, but Mirabelle was right. "Okay then. I'll do it."

"Wait, I'm coming with you." Ford stopped her.

She smiled. "What? Really?"

"I can't just let my niece go into some ruin alone."

"Thanks."

"Where is the Staff anyways?"

"In a place called Labyrinthian."

"What?" Both turned back to look at the shocked Mirabelle. "Are you… Are you sure? The staff is there? That can't be a coincidence."

"What do you mean?"

"Savos. Before… before he died. He… he gave me something just a little while ago. He told me it was from Labyrinthian, and that I would know what to do with it when the time came. I think… I think he meant this for you, then. I'm not sure why, but it was something very personal about it for him." Mirabelle gave her a weird rock. "Now, lets go and get this Staff. Fast."

Mabel saluted her. "Understood! Grunkle Ford, do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, I do. Let's go." Both began their way to Labyrinthian, the largest nord ruin of Skyrim.

* * *

 **And Chapter 33 is out.**

 **In case anyone wonders about Ford's weapon, it's the same pistol he used in the series.**

 **Now to reply to reviews:**

 **Bayoboo: This is a little bit of a Spoiler, but she'll turn into a Werewolf through Hircine's ring, and will be back to normal after ending the Quest form Hircine, meaning that she won't stay a werewolf.**

 **Glitter Bomb1221: Thanks for the Review. Yeah, having good connections is important in Skyrim.**

 **ravenclawoutcast13: You'll be surprised where Stan is.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	34. In the Ice

Chapter 34: In the Ice

Dipper, Wendy and Serana were near Winterhold as they felt a strange energy through them. At this moment, a weird, wraith-like entity attacked them.

It rammed into them, throwing Wendy of the carriage, and flipping it over. Serana casted firespells at the being, but missed, due to its small size, and fast movement. It tried to attack her, but stopped as an arrow flew past before it.

Wendy had gotten up again, and swung her sword at the thing. It dodged, and Wendy jumped onto it. She managed to capture the creature, but it tried to flee, lifting her up. Dipper and the carriage driver grabbed her, and held her down, keeping the enemy under her. Wendy held up her arm, and the being got out of its prison, only to be shot down by Serana.

"What was that thing?" Wendy asked as she stood up.

"Some sort of magical power." The vampire answered. They looked over to Winterhold, and saw more of the creatures flying around.

The College didn't look good either. Blue Energy came out of the windows, and Fireballs, Lightning and Ice pierced the sky everywhere around Winterhold.

"Can you get home alone?" Wendy asked the driver.

"Sure. Go ahead."

The three nodded, and ran into the town, and to the bridge. Along the way, they helped out whenever possible. Faralda was inside, trying to hold off another one of the beings. Mages were running around everywhere, helping out citizens from the town that have been evacuated to this place. It reminded them of a warzone. It looked like they didn't even have the time to clear out the dead dragon, as parts of its skeleton were still in the courtyard.

She took it out, and looked at the trio. "You? What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk to the Lore-keeper." Serana explained.

"He is in the Hall back there." She pointed in the direction of a door to the right.

"Why isn't he in the library?" Suddenly, a surge of energy came from the big hall.

"The Arcaneum is, just like the Hall of Elements, unreachable right now. " She said.

"Where are Mabel and Ford. Are they okay?" Dipper asked-

"Yes, they are okay. But they are not here right now. They set out for the Staff of Magnus, to set things right. Actually, I think you just missed them."

Wendy and Dipper sighed. "Crap. But thanks anyways."

They entered the hall, and saw Urag sitting on a bench. "Hey. It's us again."

He looked up. "Ah. Did you find your Moth Priest?"

"Yes, and now we need an Elder Scroll."

"Hmph. You think even if I have one here, I would let you see it? It would be kept under the highest security. The greatest thief in the world wouldn't be able to lay a finger on it."

Dipper leaned a bit forward. "And what about the Dragonborn?"

"What about... "ait. Are you? Where you the one the Greybeards were calling? I'll bring everything we have on them, but it's not much." The Orc walked into a room, and came back with a book. He was right that it wasn't much. "Here you go. Try not to spill anything on it."

Dipper took the book. It's contents were incomprehensible gibberish, to say the least. "This… this book doesn't help. It is complete nonsense."

He said, with a bit of anger in his voice. Urag smirked. "Aye, that's the work of Septimus Signus. He's the word's master on the nature of the Elder Scrolls, but… well. He's been gone for a long while. Too long."

"And where is he? Did he say anything?"

"Somewhere up north, in the ice fields. Said he found some old Dwemer artifact, but… well, that was years ago. Haven't heard from him in years."

The three looked at each other. They would need to search out in the Ice fields, and find a way to get over the water. Falling into it would surely results in a painful, and cold, death.

They thanked him, and left the College, before making their way to the shore. After discussing what to do, they decided that Serana would use an Ice Spell to make a walkway over the water. After two hours of searching, they spotted a trapdoor in an iceberg. They opened it slowly, and heard some old man talking to himself.

As they got into the main room, there was a giant, orange cube, half stuck in the wall. The rest of the room was full of furniture. An old mage was talking to the cube. "Dig, Dwemer, in the beyond. I'll know your lost unknown and rise to your dephts. When the top level was built, no more could be placed. It was and is the maximal apex."

Wendy made a gesture for crazy, and they walked down to him. "Hey. Are you Septimus Signus?"

The man turned around. "Yes, I am."

"Great. We need your help. See, we need an Elder Scroll. Do you know where to find one, or even have one?"

"I've seen enough to know their fabric. The warp of air, the weft of time. But no, it is not in my possession."

Wendy whispered in Dippers Ear. "Like I said, he's loco."

"And do you at least know where to find one?" Serana asked.

"Here. Well, here as in this plane. Mundus. Tamriel. Nearby, relatively speaking. On the cosmical scale, everything is nearby."

"Not exactly." Dipper pointed out. "And this isn't helpful."

"One block lifts another. Septimus will give you what you want, but you must bring him something in return."

"Okay, and what do you want?"

"You see this masterwork of the Dwemer?"

"The giant Rubick's Cube? Yes, it's hard to miss." Wendy answered.

"Deep inside their deeper knowings. Septimus is clever among men, but he is but an idiot child compared to the dullest of the Dwemer. Lucky then they left behind their own way of reading the Elder Scrolls. In the dephts of Blackreach, one yet lies. Have you ever heard of Blackreach? 'Cast upon where Dwemer Cities slept, the yearning spire hidden learnings kept.'"

"And where is Blackreach? Somewhere in Reach?" Dipper asked.

"Under deep. Below the dark. The hidden keep. Tower Mzark. Alftand. The points of puncture, of first entry, of the tapping. Delve to its dephts, and Blackreach lies just beyond. But not all can enter there. Septimus knows the hidden key to loose the lock to jump beneath the deadly rock."

"And how does it work?"

"Two things I have for you. Two shapes. One edged, one round. The round one for tuning. Dwemer music is soft and subtle, and needed to open their cleverest gates. The edged lexicon, for inscribing. To us, a hunk of metal. To the Dwemer, a full library of knowings. But… empty. Find Mzark and it's sky-dome. The machinations there will read the scroll and lay the lore upon the cube. Trust Septimus. He knows you can."

Dipper took the objects. One was a cube, not unlike the big one in the wall. The other one was a sphere. "So, this is like a Datachip…" He muttered. It sounded like these Dwemer were way more advanced than the rest of Tamriel.

"Now go. Septimus won't wait that long." He shoved the three out of his hideout, into the freezing cold.

"Now, that was something." Wendy said.

"Guys." They turned around to Serana.

"What is it?" Dipper asked.

"Do you have a moment to talk?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I think I know where we could get a second one."Serana explained, and both looked at her in shock.

"Seriously? And you didn't say it earlier?"

"Half of the people in your little crew would just as soon kill me as talk to me. That doesn't exactly make me want to open up. I got a warmer welcome from my father, and that's saying something." Dipper wanted to say something, but realised that she had a point. "Also, I didn't want to risk my father getting wind of it."

"What is that between you and your father anyway?" Wendy asked her.

"Ever since he decided to make that prophecy his caring, we kind of drifted apart."

"You don't trust him at all, don't you?" Dipper asked.

"It's not a question of trust… he's just obsessed with the prophecy. And from what I can tell, an thousand extra years of obssession haven't made him any better. We should have found him a Hobby."

This got a small chuckle out of Wendy and Dipper. "At least he cares about you." Dipper said.

Serana shook her head. "I don't think he does. He doesn't really se me as his daughter anymore. I'm just… a means to an end."

Wendy put a hand on her Shoulder. "Hey, you are not just a 'means to an end'. You are a good person, and our friend."

Serana smiled. "Thanks. Now, about the Scroll. We need to find my mother, Valerica. She'll definitely know where it is, and if we're lucky, he actually has it herself."

"I thought you don't know where she went." The dragonborn pointed out.

"The last time I saw her, she said that she'd to go somewhere safe… somewhere that my father would never search. Other than that, she wouldn't tell me anything. But the way she said it… 'someplace he'd never search'. It was cryptic, but yet she called attention to it."

"And where would your father never search?"

"In the Castle!" Dipper shouted out, and both looked at him confused. "Think about it. Why would he search in his own castle for someone?"

"That… That almost makes sense! There's a courtyard in the castle. I used to help er tend a garden there. All of the ingredients for our potions came from there. She used to say that my Father couldn't stand the place. Too… peaceful."

"Yeah, but isn't that risky? Someone would still go there from time to time." Wendy said.

"Oh, absolutely. But my mother is not a coward. That is… I don't think we'll actually trip over her there. But it's worth a look."

And, how are we supposed to get in there? We cant just walk past Harkon." Dipper said.

"True. But I know a way we can get to the courtyard. Without arousing suspicion. There's an unused inlet on the northern side of the island that was used by the previous owners to bring supplies into the castle. An old escape tunnel from the castle exits there. I think it's our way in."

"Great. Then we will go there."

"Um, Guys? What about Mzulft?" Wendy asked.

"Oh, yeah. We need two Scrolls."

Wendy clapped her hands together. "I know. You two go and find Valerica. I'll go to Mzulft and get the Scroll."

Serana and Dipper looked at each other. "You sure that you can do it alone?"

"Please. I've got an Ebony Armor, sword and my ax. I am sure."

"Well then. It's settled. But please, don't die." Dipper said concerned.

"Nah, I wont. Now come on, we have to find two Elder Scrolls." Wendy said, and started walking, only to nearly fall into the freezing ocean. "Oh, right."

* * *

 **And Chapter 34 is out.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **Bayoboo: It's not planned for now, but it may happen later through infection.**

 **.549: I'm not gonna say where he is. You'll see when he appears. (I can say that it will happen after the Sky Haven Temple though).**

 **Glitter Bomb1221: Well, they certainly won't be happy that she turned a legendary artifact into a Horncandle (According to Google, that's the actual name of those things.)**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	35. The Soulcairn

Chapter 35: The Soulcairn

After Wendy left the group for Mzulft, Dipper and Serana made their way back to the Castle Volkihar. They agreed on regrouping in the Dawnguard after they've got both Scrolls.

When Dipper and Serana finally arrived on Volkihar Island, Serana led him around the castle until they reached a small inlet. It was definitely the dock she was talking about. Completely broken down, and shipnoses pocking through the water. It really wasn't used in years. Four skeletons rised from the bones laying around. They were quickly taken care of, and the two entered the building.

"The old water cistern. On some days, this smell would just… be glad that you weren't here then."

"To be honest, it doesn't smell good now either." Dipper said while holding his nose.

"Take a left up here. This is one of those weird double-barred security measures that my father put in when he got more paranoid."

After dealing with the security measures, and a Vampire with five Deathhound companions, the two went outside again, into the courtyard of the castle. After Seranas description, it sounded like a beautiful oasis, but it looked like something out of a goth-movie.

A lot of the plants were either dead or dying, the grass was brown-grey, and the water in the little pond was green. In the middle of the courtyard was a giant moondial. However, some phases were missing.

"Oh no… What happened to this place? Everything's been torn down… The whole place looks… well, dead."

"I don't know. Kind of fits into a Vampire castle." Dipper replied.

Serana pointed to one of the several stairs that led back into the castle. "This used to lead into the castle's great hall. It looks like my father had it sealed up. Used to walk through here after evening meals." Dipper cringed, knowing what she meant with 'meals' . "It was beautiful, once. This was my mothers garden. It… do you know how beautiful something can be when it's tended by a master for hundreds of years?"

"Not really. I've only been alive for twelve."

"So, what is the older thing you have seen then?"

"Uhm, good question. Bill Cipher, I guess."

"Then take that and make it hundred times more beautiful." Serana said.

"Uh, no thanks." Dipper replied while a shiver went down his spine.

"Okay then." Serana let her sight go over the garden again. "She would have hated to see it like this." She stopped at the moondial. "Something's wrong with the moondial here." They stepped on it. "Some of the crests are missing and the dial is askew. I didn't even know the crests could be removed. Maybe my mothers trying to tell us something?"

"Why? Is this thing special somehow?"

"Well, as far as I am aware, it's the only one in existence. The previous owners of the castle had a sundial in the courtyard, and obviously that didn't appear to my mother. She persuaded an elven artist to make some improvements. You can see the plates that show the phase of the moons, Masser and Secunda."

"And how does it work? I mean, moons don't really give out light, or create shadows."

Serana moved parts of a plant off the dial with her foot. "That's the thing. I've always wondered why she didn't just have the whole thing ripped out. But she loved it."

"Well, it looks good. But what are we gonna do with it…" Dipper thought for a moment, until he had an idea. "Of course. The missing crests. You said they were still in place before you got sealed away, right?"

"Right."

"And when your mother left after that, she maybe ripped them out."

"What are you saying?"

"That there is a secret passage underneath." He got down and held his ear on the ground, while knocking the dial. "Yep, secret Passage. And if we find the missing crests, it could open."

Serana crossed her arms. "Wow. You have experience with that kind of stuff, don't you?"

"Yeah, a bit. Now, we only have to find the crests."

They began searching through the Courtyard. Dipper stopped before the pond, where he could see a little reflection underwater. He looked around and picked up a metalrod, which he used to fish the crest out of the water. He swiped off the algeas, and saw a half moon on it. He put it in the middle of the dial and resumed his search. The next crest was behind some flowers, leaned against the wall. It had a full moon on it.

Serana held up the last one, with a crescending moon on it. They put them into the dial in the right order, and it opened up a hidden staircase. "Very clever, mother. Very clever. I've never been in those tunnels before, but I'd bet they run right under the courtyard and into the tower ruins. Well, at least we're getting closer. Let's go."

After traveling the tunnels, and defeating a number of gargoyles on the way, they arrived at a fireplace, with no other way to go.

"Bet there's a secret entrance here too?" Dipper asked.

"Surely." They began to search for the lever, and Dipper pulled a candlestick.

The fireplace opened up into a secret room. "Huh, the old 'Passage behind the fireplace' clichè." Dipper muttered.

"Leave it to my mother… always smarter than I gave her credit for."

Behind the fireplace was an old laboratory. It had two floors, and a big rune in the middle of the lower floor. Ingredients for alchemy stood around everywhere.

"Look at this place. This has to be it! I knew she was deep into necromancy. I mean, she taught me everything I know. But I had no idea she had a setup like this. Look at all this. She must have spent years collecting these components. And what's that thing?" She looked down on the rune. "I'm not sure about this circle, but it's obviously… something. Let's take a look around. There has to be something here that tells us where she's gone."

Both began to search through all the stuff here. There really was everything: Flowers, dusts, berries, feathers and other ingredients. Although some of them were already rotting. Dipper found a book in a shelve near the entrance. It read _Valerica's Journal_ on the cover. "Serana? I think I've found something."

The Vampire walked up to him and took it. "Interesting."

"Hey, by the way, there was something about a Soul Cairn in there. What is that?" He pulled out his Journal to write down the information about the Cairn.

"I only know what my mother told me. She had a theory about soul gems. That the souls inside them don't just vanish when they are used… They end up in the Soul Cairn."

"Farengar in Whiterun told us that the souls don't vanish." Dipper pointed out.

"Really? Either the mages noticed it whilst I was sealed away, or he lied. Anyway, the Soul Cairn is home to very powerful beings. Necromancers send them souls, and retrieve powers of their own in return. My mother spent a lot of time trying to contact them directly, to travel to the Soul Cairn itself."

"I'm getting a feeling where she might have gone."

"Well, the circle in the center of the room is definitely some kind of Portal. If I'm reading this right, there's a formula here that should give us safe Passage into the Soul Cairn. We need a handful of soul gem shards, some finely-ground bone meal, a good bit of purified void salts… Oh… damn it…"

"What is it? Something wrong?"

"We're also going to need a sample of her blood. Which… if we could get it, we wouldn't even be trying to do this in the first place."

"But your blood should work then. If this is like a DNS-Scanner, that is. You are her daughter after all."

"Hmmmm. Not bad. We'd better hope that's good enough. Mistakes with these kinds of Portals can be… gruesome. Anyway, enough of that. Let's get started."

They searched through the laboratory again, and after some time had all the ingrediants ready. Serana put them in the vessel in front of the portal. Then the rest is up to me. Are you ready to go? I'm not entirely sure what this thing is going to do when I add my blood."

Dipper looked around, and got into cover behind a pillar. "Yeah, I'm ready."

She used a knife to cut her finger and let the blood drop into the vessel. Soon after, the stones on the ground began to move, and a portal into a blue-purple vortex opened. The stones began to form a ramp into the portal. Dippers eyes widened at the sight and he came out of his cover.

"By the blood of my ancestors… She actually did it… created a portal to the Soul Cairn. Incredible."

"So, can we enter it?"

"I guess so."

Dipper jumped down the ledge and got to the ramp, slowly walking into the Vortex. Suddenly, an explosion occured, and he was thrown back into a pillar. He felt the air leaving his lungs, and at least some bones breaking. Serana ran to him, and pulled a healing potion out of the bag. "Here."

He drank it with one sip, and felt his bones move back. After drinking a second one and waiting some seconds, he felt okay again. "Are you alright? That looked painful."

"Trust me. It was. Very painful." He got back up, but his body still hurt all over. "What happened?"

"Now that I think about it… I should have expected that."

Dipper starred at her angry. "And you're saying this now?"

"Sorry. It's hard to describe. The Soul Cairn is… well, hungry, for lack of a better word. It's trying to take your life essence as payment."

"Yeah, I'm not going in there then. No way I get in there alive."

"There might be a way, but I don't think you're going to like it."

Dipper sighed. "What is it?"

"Vampires aren't counted among the living."

Dipper realized what she was suggesting. "No way! I'm not going to turn into one of you. Forget it."

"Hmmm. We could just pay the toll another way."

"And how? Sacrifice a goat?" Dipper joked.

"Well, it wants a soul, so we are going to give it a soul. Yours."

"Uhm, this isn't better then the first solution."

"My mother taught me a trick or two. I could partially soul trap you, and offer that gem to the Ideal Masters. It might be enough to satisfy them. It would make you a bit weaker when we travel through the Soul Cairn, but we might be able to fix that once we're inside. Maybe."

"Yeah, I'm taking that one. Maybe it won't be that bad, I've absorbed some dragon souls afterall."

"Are you sure? I'm willing to do it, but you need to think it through. You'll remain mortal, but you'll find yourself weakened in the Soul Cairn."

"I'm not one for brute strength anyways. Let's just hope it works."

"I know this is hard for you. I hope you trust me. I'd never do anything that could hurt you."

"Y-Yeah. I trust you." He didn't want to admit it, but he was scared, and expected something to go wrong.

"Thank you. I promise I will make this as painless as possible. Hold still." She casted a Spell on Dipper, and he felt part of himself leaving him. Even though she promised to make it as painless as possible, it still hurt like hell. "There. Now, my mother must be waiting on the other side of that thing. Come on." Both entered the Soul Cairn.

The world around Dipper was beginning to evaporate, and his sight became completely purple, and then dark, then bright again. He woke up in a barren wasteland. Dead trees grew everywhere, energy streamed out from cracks in the ground and bones laid everywhere. "It definitely looks like a place a vampire would live." Dipper muttered.

Along their way through the realm, they saw a number of trapped souls. They decided to go to a castle in the distance, and when they arrived, a forcefield kept them from entering. A woman stood inside. "Mother!" Serana ran to the field and touched it.

"Maker… Can it be?" Valerica came closer to the field too. Dipper stepped beside Serana.

"Is it really you? I can't believe it! How do we get inside? We have to talk."

"Serana? What are you doing here? Where's your father?" It sounded like Valerica was far less exited than Serana.

"He doesn't know that we're here. I don't have time to explain."

"I must have failed. Harkon's found a way to decipher the prophecy, hasn't he?" She spit out Harkons name like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Actually, he has not." Dipper answered. "At least I think so."

"Wait a moment… you've brought a stranger here? Have you lost your mind?"

"No, you don't-"

"You. Come forward. I wish to speak with you." Dipper stepped a foot closer. "So how has it come to pass that a vampire hunter is in the company of my daughter? It pains me to think you'd travel with Serana under the guide her protector in an effort to hunt me down."

"I don't want to hunt anyone down. I just want to stop your Ex. And the Dawnguard actually told me to keep her safe."

"Safe? You call bringing her here safe? Has she explained anything to you? Serana has sacrificed everything to prevent Harkon from completing the prophecy. I would have expected her to explain that to you."

"And that is why we need the Elder Scroll you have." Dipper replied.

"You think I'd have the audacity to place my own daughter in that tomb for the protection of her Elder Scroll alone? The Scrolls are merely a means to an end. The key to the tyranny of the sun is Serana herself."

That surprised Dipper. "Say what now?"

"When I fled Castle Volkihar, I fled with two Elder Scrolls. The scroll I presume you found with Serana speaks of Auriel and his arcane weapon, Auriel's Bow. The second Scroll declares that 'The blood of Coldharbour's Daughter will blind the eye of the Dragon.'"

"Uhm, and what does this have to do with her?"

"Like myself, Serana was a human once. We were devout followers of Lord Molag Bal."

"Uhm, who?"

"Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of Domination, Enslavement and Rape."

"Let me guess, he is a bad guy." Dipper asked. He had to deal with the fact that something like gods actually seem to exist, or at least people who are so powerful that they got religion followers. But there was this word again, Daedric Prince. After all of this, he had to look into them. He felt like they were pretty important.

"Kind of. It- It is hard to explain. Anyways, tradition dictates that the females be offered to Molag Bal on his summoning day." Okay, maybe they weren't gods, but some kind of demons. "Few survive the ordeal."

"Which ordeal?"

"How old are you?"

"Twelve, why?"

Valerica crossed her arms. "Then I'm not going to tell much. Let's just say it has something to do with the three things he is the Lord of."

It took Dipper a few moments until he understood. "Oh. Ew. That is horrible. Why did he enslave you?"

Serana and Valerica facepalmed at the same time. Dipper looked confused, and then it snapped. "Oh. That is even worse. Can we go back to the whole prophecy thing?"

Both nodded. The topic was just as awkward for them. "Those that survive, emerged as pure-blooded vampire. We call such confluences the 'Daughters of Coldharbour'."

"And what is Coldharbour?"

"It's what some call the drain of Molag Bal. His place in Olivion."

"So, like another Dimension."

"Basically."

"And the prophecy require her blood then?"

Valerica smiled. "Now you're beginning to see why I wanted to project Serana, and why I've kept the other Elder Scroll as far from her as possible."

"Wait, wait, wait. Does this met Harkon would kill her?"

"If Harkon obtained Auriel's Bow and Serana's blood was used to taint the weapon, the Tyranny of the Sun would be complete. In his eyes, she'd be dying for the good of all vampires."

"And what is this Tyranny of the Sun even?"

"It would mean that the vampires would have the ability to, well, shut the sun off. And Harkon would have it shut off all the time."

Dipper thought about that for a moment. "That would be catastrophical. The plants would die, then the animals, then vampires too, everything would fall into an Ice Age."

"I know. But wether or not you've become undead to survive in the Soul Cairn, you're still a vampire hunter at heart. You're here because we're abominations in your mind. Evil creatures that need to be destroyed."

"No I'm no-" Dipper took a deep breath. "Listen. Serana believes me, why don't you?"

She turned back to Serana. "This stranger aligns himself with those who would hunt you down and slay you like an animal, yet I should entrust you to him?"

"This 'Stranger' and his friend have done more for me in the brief time I've known them than you've done in centuries."

"Friend? I only see one?"

"Yeah, Wendy is in some place called Mzulft." Dipper explained. _"I wonder how she's doing…"_

* * *

Meanwhile, in the dephts of Mzulft, Wendy killed roughly the twentieth Falmer. She wiped the Blood of the blade, when another one jumped out of his hiding spot. "Oh how many of this goddamn things are there?"

* * *

" _Probably well._ "

"How dare you! I gave up everything I cared about to project you from that fanatic you call a father!"

"Yes, he's a fanatic… he's changed. But he's still my father. Why can't you understand how that makes me feel?"

Valerica shook her hread. "Oh, Serana. If you'd only open your eyes. The moment your father discovers your role in the prophecy, that he needs your blood, you'd be in terrible danger."

"Or your blood." Dipper pointed out.

"That's why I am here. He would never work out the portal. He is a terrible Idiot."

"So to protect me, you decided to shut me away from everything I cared about? You never asked me if hiding in that tomb was the best course of action, you just expected me to follow you blindly. Both of you were obsessed with your own paths. Your motivations might have been different, but in the end, I'm still just a pawn to you, too. I want us to be a family again. But I don't know if we can ever have that. Maybe we don't deserve that kind of happiness. Maybe it isn't for us. But we have to stop him. Before he goes too far. And to do that, we need the Elder Scroll."

She thought about Seranas words for some time. "I'm sorry, Serana. I didn't know… I didn't see. I've allowed my hatred of your father to estrange us for too long. Forgive me. If you want the Elder Scroll, it's yours."

Serana wiped away a tear. "Thanks."

Valerica turned back to Dipper. "Your intentions are still somewhat unclear to me. But for Serana's sake, I'll assist you in any way I can."

"Well, do you have the Scroll with you?"

"Yes, I've kept it safely secure here ever since I was imprisoned. Fortunately, you're in a position to breach the bracier that surrounds these ruins."

"And how?"

"You need to locate the tallest of the rocky spires that surrounds these ruins. At their bases, the barriers energy is being drawn from unfortunate souls that have been exiled here. Destroy the Keepers that are tending them, and it should bring the barrier down."

"Sounds easy enough. We'll be back in no time."

As both left, Valerica yelled something at them. "One more word of warning. There's a dragon that calls itself Durnehviir roaring the Cairn."

Dipper sighed. "Of course."

"Be wary of him. The Ideal Masters have charged him with overseeing the Keepers, and will undoubtedly intervene if you're perceived as a threat. Be careful, and keep my daughter safe."

"No problem. Will be back soon."

* * *

 **And Chapter 35 is out.**

 **I'll probably do Wendy's travel through Mzulft through a Flashback later on, if anyone wonders.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **Glitter Bomb1221: Thanks**

 **Bayoboo: I already mentioned that he'll appear after they visited the Akaviri Temple.**

 **corondomontes: Thanks, but you don't have to write it in spanish and then in english.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	36. An unlikely Ally

Chapter 36: An unlikely Ally

They already had two har battles behind them, and were currently fighting the last of the three Keepers. He swung his sword at Dipper, who ducked. The Keeper tripped over the boy, and fell down the pillar.

He and Serana walked up to the edge, and looked down. The soul of the Keeper was leaving his broken body. "So, that were all three, right?"

Serana nodded, and they made their way back to Valerica, after taking a Black Soulgem from the Keeper.

"You managed to destroy all Keepers? Very impressive."

Dipper shrugged. "Well, we killed two of them. The last one fell to death."

"Please follow me. Keep watch for Durnehviir. With the prison's barrier down, he's almost certain to investigate."

They entered the courtyard, which was build like a giant arena. Suddenly, a loud roar was heard. A Dragon, colored in a sick green and brown, appeared from behind the walls. "It's Durnehviir… he's here! Defend yourselves."

The dragon flew into the courtyard and Dipper pulled out his bow. Serana and her mother activated their spells.

" _DIIL QOTH ZAMM!"_

The shout hit the ground, and a number of undead rose. Valerica took them on, while Dipper shot arrows at the Reptile. It sat down on the seats of the arena. " _FO KRAH DIIN!"_

Ice hit the battleground and froze some of the undead. An arrow pierced the dragons wing, and caused it to shout in pain.

 _"GAAN!"_ Dipper's Shout hit the dragon, and sucked Stamina out of it. Some Fireballs hit it, and Dipper saw that Valerica and Serana had dealt with the undead, and now paid all their attention to the Dragon.

The dragon flew up again, but one of Dipper's arrows hit its throat. It tried to shout as it pummeled to the ground. Durnehviir crashed into the seats and slid down the arena into the middle. On the way down, multiple stones and small pillars stabbed into him. He tried to get up, but fell down dead before he completely evaporated.

Everyone put back their Weapons, and Valerica approached Dipper. "I never I'd witness the death of that dragon."

"Why didn't you try to fight him anyway? I mean, you seem pretty powerful." Dipper asked.

"Volumes written about Durnehviir allege that he can't be slain by normal means. It appears they were mistaken."

"Unless he is just taking a break. Afterall, this is basically the afterlife. He could just rise from the dead. How long would that take." Dipper said.

Valerica thought for a moment. "Minutes? Hours? Years? I can't even begin to guess. I suggest we don't wait around to find out. Now, let's get your Elder Scroll and you can be on your way." She led Dipper and Serana to an ornate Alcove in the side of the courtyard, and pulled the Scroll out of a box.

"That's it. That's the last Scroll. Come on, let's take it to Dexion." Dipper took the giant scroll, which was surprisingly lightweight. He strapped it to his back.

"Now that you've received the Elder Scroll, you should be on your way. If there's anything I can do before you derart, you must let me know."

"Any Idea how I can get my soul back?" He asked.

Valerica chuckled. "So my daughter applied some of the lessons I taught her about Necromancy, did she? Don't worry, I think I can help you."

"Great. And how?"

"Your soul essence was trapped inside a gem. When you and Serana entered the Soul Cairn, it was 'given' to the Ideal Masters as payment. You simply need to retrieve the gem. The moment you touch it, your soul essence will be restored."

"And this gem? Where is it?"

"There's an offering altar not terribly far from here. I'm willing to bet that the gem you're looking for is there."

"Okay, thanks." Dipper said and smiled.

"And promise me you'll keep my daughter safe. She's the only thing of value I have left. Farewell. Remember that Harkon is not to be trusted."

"Will do. Thanks for the help."

"No problem." They waved goodbye, and Serana hugged her mother before they left the courtyard.

As they walked down the stairs into the Soul Cairn, Durnehviir suddenly materialized before them. Dipper and Serana drew their weapons. " _STAY YOUR WEAPONS. I WISH TO SPEAK WITH YOU, QAHNAARIN."_

The two looked at each other for a moment and put away their weapons. "I knew you weren't dead." Dipper said.

 _"CURSED, NOT DEAD. DOOMED TO EXIST IN THIS FORM FOR ALL ETERNITY. TRAPPED BETWEEN LAAS AND DINOK, BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH."_

"And why are you talking to me?"

 _"I BELIEVE IN CIVILITY AMONG SEASONED WARRIORS, AND I FIND YOUR EAR WORTHY OF MY WORDS. MY CLAWS HAVE RENDED FLESH FROM INNUMERABLE FOES, BUT I NEVER HAVE ONCE BEEN FELLED ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE. I THEREFORE HONOR-NAME YOU 'QAHNAARIN', OR VANQUISHER IN YOUR TONGUE."_

"Uhm, thanks. I guess. You are worth too." Dipper said, still unsure what to make of the situation.

 _"YOUR WORDS DO ME GREAT HONOR. MY DESIRE TO SPEAK WITH YOU WAS BORN FROM THE RESULT OF OUR BATTLE, QAHNAARIN. I MERELY WISH TO RESPECTFULLY ASK A FAVOR OF YOU."_

"Didn't you try to kill me?"

 _"THE HOSTILITY WAS NECESSARY. I WAS BOUND TO AN OATH."_

Dipper sighed. "What kind of favor? Want to take over my body?"

Serana raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"It's a long story."

 _"NOTHING LIKE THAT. FOR COUNTLESS YEARS I'VE ROAMED THE SOUL CAIRN, IN UNINTENDED SERVICE TO THE IDEAL MASTERS. BEFORE THIS, I ROAMED THE SKIES ABOVE TAMRIEL. I DESIRE TO RETURN THERE."_

"Uhm, and how? Can you just, like, fly through the portal?"

 _"NO. I FEAR MY TIME HERE HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON ME. I SHARE A BOND WITH THIS DREADED PLACE. IF I VENTURED FAR FROM THE SOUL CAIRN, MY STRENGTH WOULD BEGIN TO WANE UNTIL I WAS NO MORE."_

"And how am I supposed to help? I'm not exactly an expert in magic."

 _"I WILL PLACE MY NAME WITH YOU AND GRANT YOUT THE RIGHT TO CALL MY NAME FROM TAMRIEL. DO ME THIS SIMPLE HONOR AND I WILL FIGHT AT YOUR SIDE AS YOUR GRAH-ZEYMAHZIN, YOUR ALLY, AND TEACH YOU MY THU'UM."_

 _"_ So, like a shout? And you'll help me?"

" _INDEED."_

"Holy crap. That's awesome. And that's all?"

 _"TRIVIAL IN YOUR MIND, PERHAPS. FOR ME, IT WOULD MEAN A GREAT DEAL. I DON'T REQUIRE AN ANSWER, QAHNAARIN. SIMPLY SPEAK MY NAME TO THE HEAVENS WHEN YOU FEEL THE TIME IS RIGHT."_

 _"_ You keep calling me Qahnaarin. What does that mean?"

" _IN MY LANGUAGE, THE QAHNAARIN IS THE VANQUISHER, THE ONE WHO BESTED A FELLOW DOVAH IN BATTLE."_

"I'm not a dragon, you know that. Right?"

 _"YOU ARE THE DOVAHKIIN, THE DRAGONBORN. YOU MAY NOT BE ONE OF US IN BODY, BUT YOU HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BEAR THIS TITLE."_

"Okay. Cool, I guess. One last question though. How did you even end up here?"

Durnehviir looked into the purple sky. " _THERE WAS A TIME I CALLED TAMRIEL MY HOME, BUT THOSE DAYS HAVE LONG SINCE PASSED. THE DOVAH ROAMED THE SKIES; VYING FOR THEIR SMALL SLICES OF TERRITORY THAT RESULTED IN IMMENSE AND ULTIMATELY FATAL BATTLES."_

"Kind of like humans. And you have taken part of that?"

" _I DID. BUT UNLIKE SOME OF MY BRETHREN, I SOUGHT SOLUTIONS OUTSIDE THE NORM IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN MY SUPERIORITY. I BEGAN TO EXPLORE WHAT THE DOVAH CALL 'ALOK-DILON', THE ANCIENT FORBIDDEN ART THAT YOU CALL NECROMANCY."_

"And thus, you came into contact with the ideal masters."

 _"THE IDEAL MASTERS ASSURED ME THAT MY POWERS WOULD BE UNMATCHED, THAT I COULD RAISE LEGIONS OF THE UNDEAD. IN RETURN, I WAS TO SERVE THEM AS KEEPER UNTIL THE DEATH OF THE ONE WHO CALLS HERSELF VALERICA."_

"But she's a vampire. She's immortal. They tricked you."

 _"I DISCOVERED TOO LATE THAT THE IDEAL MASTERS FAVOR DECEPTION OVER HONOR AND HAD NO INTENTION OF RELEASING ME FROM MY BINDING. THEY HAD CONTROL OF MY MIND, BUT THEY COULDN'T POSSESS MY SOUL."_

 _"_ But you've failed. Valerica is free. You're free."

" _FREE? NO. I'VE BEEN HERE TOO LONG; QAHNAARIN. THE SOUL CAIRN HAS BECOME PART OF WHAT I AM. I CAN NEVER FULLY CALL TAMRIEL MY HOME AGAIN, OR I WOULD SURELY PERISH. I ONLY HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALLOW ME THE PRECIOUS TIME THERE THROUGH YOUR CALL."_

"Don't worry. I won't let you down." Durnehviir teached Dipper the Shout. He simply shouted at the ground, and the words appeared, like back with the Greybeards. After that, he left.

"Well, now that this is taken care of. Let's get your soul back." Serana said

* * *

 **And Chapter 36 is out.**

 **For all that wonder, next Chapter will focus on Mabel.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **Bayaboo: It'll show up later.**

 **Ilikebob: Arvak will come later, when they visit the Cairn a second time.**

 **Glitter Bomb1221: Well, at least he got what they meant.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	37. Labyrinthian

Chapter 37: Labyrinthian

"This must be Labyrinthian." Ford noted as he and his neice entered the complex.

Most of the ancient city was broken down, but it still was identifiable as a Nordic ruin. Giant stairs led up into the inner ruins. They spotted two Icetrolls patrolling the area. One of them noticed the two and attacked, but was quickly dispatched thanks to flames and an energy pistol.

"So, where should we go now?" Mabel asked.

"I'm not quite sure. This place is gigantic." They looked around and saw a big gate on top of some stairs. "I guess we need to go there."

They walked up the stairs, and saw a couple of blue lights. It was possible to look through, them, and they had a roughly human shape. "Come on, we're finally here! Let's not waste any more time!" One of the ghosts said.

"Wait, is that… Savos?" Ford noticed.

"Are we truly sure this is a good Idea?" Another ghost said. Judging by the shape of the light, it had a tail, meaning that it was an Argonian.

"We'll be back at the College before anyone even knows we're gone." A female ghost explained.

"You would care about that, since you're the Arch-Mage's favorite." The ghost of a female Bosmer said.

"Let's just get inside, see what's in there." The last of the ghosts, a male nord, told them.

The ghosts disappeared, leaving a speechless Mabel and Ford. "Uhm, what just happened?"

"I think Savos was here before. Maybe this shows us what happened."

Mabel nodded and they walked up the rest of the stairs. A big lock was on the door, and the torc from Aren started to glow. Mabel put it back on the lock, and the gate opened. Both nodded and stepped inside, only to be greeted by the ghosts again.

"I can't believe we're doing this." A new, female dunmer ghost said.

"Can you imagine the looks on their faces when we come back?" Savos said. Such joy and emotion in his voice was unusual, at least from what Mabel and Ford knew.

"You keep talking like you're sure we'll find something useful in here." The nord ghost said in a mocking voice.

"Enchanted weapons, tomes of ancient knowledge, Shalidor's secrets themselves… Who knows what we could find!" Savos yelled in excitment.

"And what if… What if there are things guarding this place?" The Argonian asked with a glimpse of fear in her voice.

"Against six College-trained mages? I think we'll be fine." The ghosts disappeared again.

Now Ford and Mabel had time to look around in the room. There were skeletons scattered on the ground, some urns and a table with a Spell Tome on it. Mabel read it and learned the new Spell.

"So, what is it?" Ford asked.

Mabel concentrated and activated her new Spell. Her hands glew in a purple, white and red color, but nothing happened. "Huh. Weird." Mabel tried again, but the glow didn't even hold long enough to even try something. She felt how her Magicka was already run out, and shrugged it off for now.

"Come on. We'll ask as soon as we're back at the College." Ford suggested, and opened the door.

Mabel nodded, and they entered the next room, or rather hall. Dozens of Skeletons walked around in the hall, and all turned towards Mabel and Ford at once.

Both sides stared at each other for a second before the fight began. After they took out the first one of the skeletons, the middle of the hall shook, as the ground started to bulge up. As second later, a skeletal dragon rose from the ground.

WOh dear." Mabel said as she shot a skeleton into pieces.

 _"NAH KRIIN!"_

Mabel rolled out of the way and conjured a Frost Atronarch. It ran to the Dragon and started punching it. Mabel followed it, and jumped on the skull of the undead monster. She used the Flamecloak and a fiery aura appeared around her. The bones under her feet started getting black.

The Dragon however still didn't go down.

 _"LIZ!"_ The shout froze the skull of the Dragon. The punches of the Atronarch made way more damage now, and cracks appeared in the bone. Mabel shot an Ice Spike into the crack, and then kicked it with full force. The Skull broke and the rest of the skeleton fell apart.

The girl looked around and saw that all the skeletons were taken care of. Most of them had a hole in their skull. "Mabel. This was awesome."

She rubbed the back of her head. "Thanks. Can we move on?"

In the next one, the Ghosts appeared again. But now, one was missing. "We… we have to go back. We can't leave Girduin…" The Dunmer said while catching her breath.

"We barely made it out alive, and you want to go back in?"

"What was that thing anyway?" The Argonian asked.

"It's too late. There isn't enough of him left to back in after."

"Gods, what have we done?"

"We can't go back. Might as well go forward. We can still do this." Savos' Ghost said.

"Savos is right. We can make it if we just stay alert." The Ghosts disappeared again.

"I have a feeling where this is going." Mabel commented. They continued, and Mabel tried to start a conversation with Ford, about something she wanted to talk to him about for a long time. "Hey, have you ever heard of a being called 'Alduin'?"

"Alduin? I've read about him in the Arcaneum. I can believe he's back."

"Yeah, it's kinda bad. By the way, do you know if there are any Dragons back home?"

"What?" Ford asked, and stopped.

"Well, I thought that sicne we caem here somehow, that this wasn't the first time."

Ford thought for a moment. "I was indeed able to confirm the existence of Dragons back on Earth. They're extinct though."

"You think they have something to do with the Dragons here?" Mabela asked.

"It's possible."

"And which Dragons did actually exist?"

"I know that Fafnir actually existed, just like the Dragon Siegfried slayed." Ford explained. "Now that I think about it, maybe those heroes were Dragonborn themselves."

"Huh. Interesting." Mabel muttered.

They arrived at a door, sealed of by a magic forcefield. A voice echoed through the room. " _Wo met wah dii vul junaar?"_

"What? What language are you speaking?" Ford yelled back.

"It's dragon language."

"What?"

"Yeah. As Dragonborn I can identify it. When giant lizards yell that stuff at you, it also helps."

"Can you understand it?"

"Nope. Now how do we get through here?" The ward changed into ice and a Draugr woke up to their right. It drew its sword, but didn't came far as Ford shot it. Mabel casted a flames spell at the door, melting the ice and opening the way.

The voice echoed again. _"_ _Nivahriin muz fent siid nid aaz het. You do not answer… Must I use this guttural language of yours? Have you returned, Aren? My old friend?"_

"No! Aren is… Aren is dead! We're here for the Staff of Magnus!" Mabel yelled.

They waited for a couple of seconds, but no answer came. They shrugged it off and continued their way.

After some time, they entered a room containing an enchanter, alchemy station and a new Spell tome, which Mabel took instantly. She looked at the enchanter. A skeleton sat on the chair in front of it, with blood everywhere. "Grunkle Ford? Do you think one can enchant a Energy Pistol?"

"Impossible. From experience, I know that technology and magic are hardly compatible."

"Well, I still want to enchant some stuff." She pushed the skeleton away and slipped out of her armor, only to put it on the table. Luckily, a filled Soul gem was in the room too. "Alright. I don't know any enchantments, but I think I should get something by random."

A bright light appeared after the enchanting was done, and Mabel put her, now glowing, armor back on. "And? What was the enchantment?"

 _Mabel shrugged._ "I don't know. We'll see."

They went into the next hallway, and heard the voice once again. _"Do you seek to finish that which you could not? You only face failure once more… You… You are not Aren, are you?"_

"Thank you for noticing!" Mabel yelled. The voice stopped until they reached another blocked door. " _Has he sent you in his place? Did he warn that your own power would be your undoing? That it would only serve to strengthen me?"_

The door turned into flames, and Mabel shot an Ice Spike at it. It collided and opened the door. After some more walking and fighting they found the word wall of the ruin. Mabel approached it and the runes started to glow as the shout burned itself into her mind.

 **"** _ **Tiid-Time"**_

The shout was called 'Slow Time', which was pretty self explainatory.

They walked up to the next door. Behind it, the Ghosts, now only four, appeared. "Just another minute, please." The Argonian pleaded.

"Come on, we can't stop now. We have to keep moving!" Savos said.

"Where's Elvali? She was right behind me."

"Dead. Something grabbed her from behind. Gone before I could do anything."

"You're right. This is all my fault. Should we turn around, head back?"

"I don't think going back is a good idea."

"Going back would be the end of all of us. We keep pushing forward, and we'll make it. We will!" Savos yelled.

"Come on, you can make it. Let's go."

"Seems like Savos was really pushing the others." Mabel said.

Ford and Mabel continued and finally reached a big door. Now three Ghosts appeared. "We shouldn't have left her there to die!"

"What else could we do? Stay there and die with her? She refuse to go on, we didn't have a choice." Savos explained.

"This is it, you know." The Ghosts turned towards the door. "Through this door. Can you feel it?"

"We're not going to make it, are we?"

"We stay together, no matter what. Agreed?"

"I'll be right with you."

"Agreed. We'll all stay together." They moved through the door, followed by Mabel and Ford.

They found themselves in a giant room. A waterfall created a small pond in the back. Two buildings were to the left and right. From the bigger, left one, two magic beams went to the other side, where they held something captive. Ford narrowed his eyes and saw a Staff in his hands. "He has the Staff!"

"But we need to free him." Mabel looked where the beams where coming from. Two Ghosts casted them at the being. They walked up to the Ghosts and took them out.

The ward around the monster disappeared. "Who are you!" Mabel asked, and waved.

 _"MOROKEI!"_ It screamed, and shot spells at them.

The wall behind the two exploded as the attacks hit. Both rolled into cover. Mabel readied her Atronarch and summoned it, only for it to be hit with another spell. It turned around and punched the wall over Mabel's head. "It can turn them around?!"

"Mabel! Take out the Atronarch! I'll try to take out Morokei!" Ford yelled, and cocked his pistol.

Mabel nodded and slided under the Atronarch. "Here I am!" It turned around and followed her up the stairs. She shot Fireballs at it, until the monster dissolved. Mabel looked down and saw that Morokei had captured Ford. "GRUNKLE FORD!"

 _"The weakness of you Mortals. Family. Even the Dragonborn isn't safe from it."_

Mabel gritted her teeth and jumped on the Dragon priest. She instantly started casting her Thunderbolts. Morokei let go of Ford and slowly got back, until he and Mabel fell down the building. Mabel started punching him in his Mask, before feeling electricity run through her. The priest had activated a Lightning Cloak. She felt her strength leaving her, and then everything went black.

* * *

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Ford's face. "Ugh, what happened?"

"Mabel! You're okay!"

"Yeah, I guess." Mabel stood up, and rubbed the back of her head. "Where's Morokei?"

"He's dead. When you two fell into the pond, his cloak collided. He didn't survive the electric shock."

"How am I alive then?"

"Turns out your elven armor held off most of the electricity. I'd say your enchantment did that."

"And the staff?" Ford held it up. Mabel smiled. "Great. And did he have anything with him?"

Ford searched through his bag and pulled out the mask the priest had on his face. "His mask. It seems to be enchanted, and I'd guess something like that could be pretty powerful."

"Can we leave then? I don't want to be here any longer."

Ford nodded and they walked up the building. As they left the room, the Ghost of Savos appeared once again. "… I'm sorry, friends. I'm so sorry! I had no choice! It was the only way to make sure that monster never escaped! I promise you, I'll never let this happen again! I'll seal this whole place away…"

The Ghost disappeared. The two mourned his death one last time and continued, until they opened a gate to the outside world.

Behind it was a Thalmor Agent, and Mabel got ready for a fight. "So, you made it out of there alive. Ancano was right… you are dangerous. I'm afraid I'll have to take that Staff from you now. Ancano wants it kept safe… oh, and he wants you two dead. Nothing personal."

"Get out of the way!" Mabel said angered.

"You fool. You don't stand a chance." He activated his spells, just like Mabel. She blocked the first Fireball with a ward, followed by a Fireball of her own. He activated his own ward and stopped the ball. Ford knew how this would go and snuck behind the Thalmor. He hit him on the back of his head witht he butt of his gun, and the Thalmor fell down unconscius.

"Is he alive?" Mabel asked. Ford got down and felt his pulse.

"Yes, he is."

"Let's tie him up and go." Mabel suggested.

"Yeah, good idea. We need to stop Ancano."

Mabel took the Staff from her back, and looked at it. "I hope this thing works."

* * *

With a purple explosion, Dipper and Serana landed back in Valerica's 'kitchen'.

"That went better than expected." The boy said. "Now let's bring the Scroll back to Dexion. I hope Wendy is alright."

* * *

Meanwhile at a dwarven tower at the top of a mountain, an elevator drove up. Wendy had gotten the Scroll after traveling through he entire dwarven ruin and a giant, undergound, ecosystem. But it was worth it. The Scroll was hers. If Dipper and Serana did indeed get the other one, Harkon could give up.

* * *

"I can't believe we lost them again!" Assorn yelled and kicked a log over. They had set up camp in the forest around Falkreath, after their hunt for the Dragonborn's failed completely.

"Calm down. I'm sure we'll cross paths with them again. We just need to traverse the big cities."

"That's… That's not a bad idea. Eventually, we'll be in the same town as them."

"Exactly. We just need to have luck."

* * *

 **And Chapter 37 is finally out.**

 **I have to excuse the late release. I wasn't at home for nearly the entire last week, so I didn't have time to upload, or write.**

 **I'm also thinking about dropping the weekly schedule, to give me more time to write the Chapter, which in turn can only help the quality of the Story.**

 **Anyways, now to replies:**

 **Bayoboo: If you mean her adventure in Blackreach, that will come later. For now, I want to finish the Academy Questline.**

 **Glitter Bomb1221: Thanks.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney.**


	38. The Battle of Winterhold

Chapter 38: The Battle of Winterhold

Dipper and Serana entered the now heavily fortified Dawnguard. The last vampire attacks really called for more defenses, which included barriers, defensive posts for archers, and even armored Trolls running around outside.

Inside, Wendy was already waiting with the Scroll on her back. Judging by her still dirty and beat up armor, she also just arrived. "Wendy!"

She turned around and waved at them with a smile. "Hey!"

"You've got the Scroll?" Wendy took it from her back and showed it. "Nice. Did anything weird happened?"

"Well, I didn't expect to fight robots," Wendy said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Dipper raised an eyebrow. "Robots?"

"Yeah. The ruin was filled with those things."

Dipper took a second to comprehend that. Apparently, there was a civilization advanced enough to built robots. And it somehow died out. Thinking about it, that sounded like those were the dwarves he heard about. However, that was something he could think about later. "We made friends with a dragon. And I died. Kinda." At least he had a story that topped hers.

"Wow. And I thought my adventure was harsh."

They looked to the side, as Dexion and Isran entered the room from the right. "I trust your journey was successful?"

"You bet it was," Wendy said proudly. She gave her Scroll to Dexion, and Dipper did the same.

"I'm sorry, my friends. I can no longer be of use in this matter." He replied sadly, and handed them the scrolls back.

"What? Wh-" Dipper stopped asking as he noticed the blindfold over Dexion's eyes. "Y- You're blind. The Scroll."

"I didn't take the necessary preparations." He replied.

"We can fix that. Surely there must be, like, a Spell or something to heal you." Wendy said. She felt a bit guilty about this, just like Dipper.

"No. This must take its natural course.

"Then we are screwed. Harkon has won." Dipper and Wendy sighed.

"There may be another option," Dexion said calmly.

"Which one?" Both looked at him, eager to hear his solution.

"I can't guarantee you'll be free from harm. Becoming blind could be the least of your worries."

Dipper and Wendy looked at each other and nodded silently. "What do we need to do?"

"Scattered across Tamriel are secluded locations known only as Ancestor Glades. There's one in Skyrim, in the Pine Forest. Performing the Ritual of the Ancestor Moth within the glade should provide the answers you seek."

"So... where's that Glade?" Wendy asked.

* * *

Mabel and Ford ran up the bridge towards the academy. The other students and Urag were defending the town from more anomalies, which seemed to get worse and worse. They had seen from afar that the Eye's barrier had extended around the entire college. Even the civilians had to be evacuated to the near mountain range, and the camp was visible during the walk here.

As they walked over the bridge, they felt the entire ground shake and saw ice, accompanied by dirt and rock, fall off from the cliff under the College. The rubble fell into the water and created big waves. If that continued, then the rest of Winterhold would surely fall into the freezing depths as well. And who knew what would follow.

Faralda, Arniel, and Tolfdir were already waiting at the barrier in front of the entrance. "You survived! You have it, then? Let's hope it's as powerful as the Psijics believe it to be."

Ford realized that there was one person they hadn't seen up to this point. "Where's Mirabelle?"

The three teachers looked at the ground. "She… She didn't make it. When it was clear we were going to have to fall back, she stayed behind and made sure the rest of us were alright."

Mabel sighed. "Oh."

"Let's get in there," Faralda said. The three teachers used different kinds of magic at the barrier. However, the barrier was too strong already, and it didn't work. Mabel took the staff from her back and aimed it at the barrier. A blue energy escaped the staff and dissipated the barrier.

"Did I do this?" Mabel asked. "Awesome!"

Then, another Anomaly attacked them but was quickly destroyed. A strong wind blew inside of the courtyard as if a tornado was ravaging the area, and they had a hard time to actually reach the Hall. "I'll be amazed if any of us survive this." Arniel mocked.

The group of five entered the hall of elements, and the wind stopped as if they were in the eye of the storm. "Faralda and I will stay here and stop any anomalies. Go inside and stop him."

Mabel, Ford, and Tolfdir nodded and entered. Inside, Ancano was still meddling with the Eye of Magnus. "You've come for me, have you? You think I don't know what you're up to? You think I can't destroy you? The power to unmake the world at my fingertips, and you think you can do anything about it?" As a response, Tolfdir and Mabel both shot a Fireball at him while Ford shot his pistol. All of the projectiles just disappeared into thin air. "I am beyond you pathetic attempts at magic. You cannot touch me."

"The staff! Use it on the Eye!" Tolfdir yelled.

"Enough!" Ancano paralyzed both Tolfdir and Ford. Mabel narrowed her eyes and readied her magic. "Still you persist? Very well. Come then. See what I can do now."

He turned away from the eye and cast a Chain Lightning spell at Mabel. She blocked it with a ward and rolled to the side. She took the staff and aimed. The Magic hit the Eye and it closed, causing the light blue Aura around Ancano to disappear. This was most likely the only way to harm him.

Mabel conjured a Frost Atronach and blocked a thunderbolt. She countered by using an Ice Spike, but he blocked it with his own ward.

" _WULD!"_ Mabel shouted and got behind Ancano. She used the moment of confusion and shot a Fireball at him. He turned around, only to be hit by the Atronach in the back of his head. He was thrown away several meters, but he got up again got the hook of a grappling hook into his face. He felt how his nose broke.

Mabel was relieved. Despite having the powers of the Eye, it looked like he didn't have too much experience in combat or at least less than she had. Most likely since he was an Ambassador, meaning he spent most of his day behind a desk. Mabel and her Atronach charged at him before he used his Incinerate Spell to destroy the Atronach. Mabel dodged several Spells and started shooting flames at him. He blocked it with his own ward.

"What are you trying, girl? Your flames won't come through my ward."

Mabel smiled. "That's right. But I know that a ward costs exponentially more Magicka than flames."

Before he realized what that meant, Ancano's ward stopped and his body was engulfed in flames. He tried to put them out but was hit by a Fireball. He was thrown against a pillar and slid down. He felt that most of his bones were broken. His Magicka wasn't enough to cast a Healing Spell either.

He looked up and saw Mabel slowly approaching with the Staff in her hands. "Come on, Mabel. We can end this peacefully. You've always been friendly and happy."

"Yeah. I've been. But you nearly destroyed the school, killed Savos and Mirabelle, tried to kill me and my family."

"That was all a misunderstanding. Please. Have mercy for an old Thalmor."

Mabel now stood over him. Her normally golden elven armor was burnt black with scorch marks and red with blood. Her hair, or the bit that was visible under the helmet, was messy. "Don't call it mercy, but I won't kill you."

"What?" A look of relief shined across the Thalmor's face. Ancano closed his eyes.

"Everyone gets a bit power-hungry from time to time, especially when presented with such tremendous power. Of course, that doesn't mean your actions were justified. Far from it. But when I kill you now, I'm not much better. Also, I think that either the Stormcloaks, the Imperials or the Thalmor will execute you anyway. You know, for nearly destroying the world."

"Wait, maybe you could give me the mercy of killing me?" He asked, probably panicked at the thought of being executed by his former higher-ups.

"I said that you shouldn't call it mercy, didn't I?" Mabel asked, and hit the side of his head with the staff, knocking Ancano out.

The Chain Spell around Ford and Tolfdir stopped, and they fell to the ground, before running to Mabel. "You did it!"

"Thanks. Was easier than I thought."

"What about Ancano?" Ford asked.

"Like I said, we'll handle him over to the authorities," Tolfdir answered.

"So, everything is good now?" Mabel asked. Then, the entire building shook, as the eye opened up again.

"Not really."

Stones and bricks started to rain down from above, and the windows started to crack, as the College started to fall down into the Sea of Ghosts.

"This is the end, huh?" Mabel asked in fear.

The shaking intensified, and one of the windows shattered, letting in strong, cold wind. But then, it all stopped.

Everything went gray, as a familiar monk came in. "We knew you would succeed. Your victory here justifies our belief in you."

"Uhm. Thanks. But can you do something?"

The monk looked at the eye "The Eye has grown unstable. It cannot remain here, or else it may destroy your College and this world. It must be secured. Ancano's action proves the world is not ready for such a thing. We shall safeguard it… for now."

Two other Monks teleported in and cast a spell to remove themselves and the Eye. The collapse stopped, and even the storm outside grew to a halt, revealing a blue sky.

They all took a deep breath. "What now? Is this whole thing over?" Mabel asked.

"Mostly. Of course, there's still a lot of paperwork to do." The Psijic answered. "Not to forget the explanations to the authorities, as well as the matter of who'd become your new Arch-Mage."

"What about me?" Mabel asked.

"Forget it," Tolffdir said. "You're too young, too inexperienced and rash."

Eh, it was worth a try. "And who'll do it then?"

"I'll take over his responsibilities until a worthy successor surfaces." The Teacher answered. "Of course, you can continue studying here for a long as you want to. You've earned it."

"Yeah, I'll probably do it," Mabel said. "I've still got a lot to learn, and I could take a downtime from all the fighting."

"I'll stay here for now too," Ford added. "I want to continue studying the Arcaneum, and maybe find out if there's any way to get back home. And what's up with the return of the dragons."

"That's good to hear. Maybe you can tell the students something about technology." Tolffdir responded.

"Well then, it seems like everything is going well." The Monk said. "I'll be off for now. If anything regarding the Eye happens, I'll be sure to let you know." With that, he disappeared.

"We don't have any lessons today though, right?" Mabel asked.

"No, but you'll help us with cleaning up."

"Ugh. Can we first bind and gag this jerk?" Mabel asked annoyed and pointed at the still unconscious Ancano.

* * *

 **And Chapter 38 is up.**

 **Honestly, I'd say that the longer time to write it really improved the quality. For the next Chapters, the story will focus on Dipper and the end of the Dawnguard story, after which it will continue with the main quests.**

 **Also, I've recently started a new story which includes Dipper and Mabel as main characters, called 'DanganRonpa: The Interdimensional Killing Game'. Of course, there are also fifteen other characters, mostly from different animes, but I just wanted to point it out.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **Glitter Bomb1221: Yeah, the Cultists are taking a little bit of a backseat during this Arc, but they'll obviously play a greater role later on again.**

 **coronadomontes: Thanks.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	39. Bug Catcher

Chapter 39: Bug Catcher

With the Moth Priest blind, there was no way he could read the other two Elder Scrolls. Obviously, that was a pretty big problem. Without his help, they were unable to pin down the location of Auriel's bow, which in turn meant that Harkon could easily get the thing before them, and throw the world into mass extinction.

But luckily, Dexion had a solution. Apparently, there were places called 'Glades' scattered across Tamriel, where one could read the Scroll without going blind. To do that, they simply had to collect the bark from a tree called the Canticle Tree. This would then attract moths, which would provide some sort of sight.

In all honesty, none of them had that much trust in the ritual, but it was the only chance they had, and there was a lot of other crazy and ridiculous stuff they had witnessed.

With an extremely accurate explanation of the Glades' location, Dipper, Wendy and Serana made their way there and went through the little opening in the cliff.

And were pleasantly surprised by the cave. It looked like a utopian forest, with insects buzzing around everywhere. Sunlight shone in through holes in the ceiling, and a stream of water washed through the biosphere.

"Wow. Never expected this to be inside snow-covered mountains..." Wendy muttered.

They started to descend down, using ancient stairs that were hammered into the stone. "It looks like no one's been here for centuries," Serana added. "I doubt there's any other place like this in Skyrim."

The three eventually arrived at the bottom of the Glade, at a shrine. A draw knife laid on top. "This must be the special knife Dexion was talking about," Dipper concluded. "Let's gather some bark."

"Considering that we fought dragons before, that doesn't sound very exciting," Wendy muttered.

"Eh, better than putting your life on the line by fighting a giant flying magical lizard."

"I have to agree with him on this," Serana said.

Dipper picked up the knife and opened up a little satchel he carried with him. "So, how much do you think we need?"

"Maybe four, five patches of bark." Wendy guessed. "Dexion could've been a bit more specific about that. But no, he had to spend two hours on explaining where this place is."

"Cut him some slack," Dipper replied. "The guy went blind while helping us."

They started to walk up a couple of stairs until they arrived at the first tree. Dipper used the knife to peel off some bark, and a couple of moths started to be interested in his satchel. "Looks like it's working."

Wendy shrugged. "You think your uncle can help the old man?"

"I'd be surprised if he couldn't help out." The boy said.

"You seem to respect your uncle." Serana pointed out, as her eyes darted across the area, looking for any potential thread.

"Of course. He's my hero. Did you never have someone like this?"

"Not really. When you're immortal, things like that don't really matter. In the end, you can do whatever you want."

"Huh, never thought about it. But being immortal... isn't that a bit of a burden?" Dipper asked, and put the bark he collected into the satchel, before going to the next tree.

"Trust me, it's harder than you'd think. The thought that all mortals you ever knew will die at one point. And then there's... the other thing."

"What other thing?" Wendy asked.

"Well, if you manage not to be killed until then, you'll see the End of the World. Not something you look forward to."

"To be fair, right now it looks like the world is going to be eaten by an ancient dragon. That doesn't seem like the worst apocalypse."

"You mean Alduin? He is hardly a concern of mine. A good amount of soldiers could put him to rest." Serana explained. But was it really that easy? If it was, then there wouldn't be the Dragonborn, would there?

"Anyways, I think we have enough bark," Dipper said, gesturing at the pitch black swarm of moths following him. The three went into the middle of the area, back to the altar.

The moths started to surround him, and glow, as both girls pulled out one of the two Scrolls so that the boy could take them in the right order. He first took the one Wendy retrieved from the Dwarven Ruin, before reading the one he and Serana got from her mother. For Wendy and Serana, it looked like he just read the scroll, with the light of the moths engulfing him. Wendy was slightly amused since his eyes made it look like he was high.

He dropped the last scroll and caught his breath. "That... That was harsh."

"Are you okay?" Wendy asked.

"Yeah. I know where we have to g-" He was interrupted, as a Fireball hit the trees behind him. They looked towards the entrance and saw three Vampires coming in.

"There they are! And they have the Scrolls!"

Wendy drew her weapons and blocked a Fireball with her shield. "This is a really bad time!"

Two Deathhounds came in and ran down the stairs at a surprising speed. One of them jumped at Wendy and caught her shield in its claws. Wendy bashed him onto the ground, before stabbing her sword into its side.

Meanwhile, Serana shot Electricity at the intruders, trying to drain their Magicka. She rolled to the side, as a couple of Fireballs came her way. They hit the ground and plant life, setting it on fire.

"Crap, if this continues, the whole place will be burning!" Wendy yelled while fighting the second Deathhound.

Dipper took aim with his bow and shot an arrow into the chest of one Vampire. The undead fell down the stairs and disintegrated as he arrived at the bottom. The other Vampires slowly came down, using tree stumps as cover from the incoming arrows and Spells.

Wendy kicked the Deathhound, throwing it against a tree. The animal stood back up, but Dipper took a moment to kill it with an arrow, before shifting his attention back to the other two Vampires.

Serana shot a Fireball at a nearby tree, blowing up its base, and causing the tree to fall over, crushing one of the Vampires into a bloody puddle. All alone, the other one tried to flee, but another Arrow hit his spine, killing him.

"Okay... Now that that's taken care of..." Wendy said, sheathing her sword. "Where's the bow?"

Dipper put the bow back on his back, before thinking about it again. "In a place called... Darkfall Cave."

"Seriously? That's, like, the most cliche name a cave like that could have." Wendy said. "And where is that Cave?"

"Near Solitude," Dipper explained and marked it on the map.

"Okay, judging by the name, we should maybe buy a torch or something," Serana muttered.

"Then let's buy one in Falkreath," Wendy replied. "It's not like we have much time before your father figures that out."

* * *

"And that's the last one!" Mabel said relieved, as she put the last stone back into place. It had been ten hours since the events surrounding Ancano and the Eye, and the entire Academy was working on repairing the damage. He duty was to collect the stones lying around on the bridge so that no one would trip over them.

A gust of wind blew over the bridge leading to the academy, surprising Mabel. She stepped back a bit, and accidentally pushed the stone away, causing it to fall into the ocean underneath. She looked at it and shrugged. "Won't be missed."

She went back into the courtyard, where the teaching staff was assembled around the tied up Ancano, who was just about to be given over to the Thalmor and Empire. However, there was also one Thalmor Mabel hoped she never had to see.

"Do not worry. Ancano will pay for his crimes..." The female elf said. Mabel quickly dove behind the statue, deciding to eavesdrop on the conversation. Of all Thalmor, why did it have to be Elenwen, the only one she actually knew?

"We hope so," Tolfdir replied. "He nearly caused the end of the world, after all."

"Guards! Carry him to our carriage!" Elenwen said, and two Thalmor grabbed the bonded advisory and carried him out of the academy. Elenwen turned back toward Tolfdir. "I hope that your prestigious institution will bring forth many more masters of Magic." With a bow, she left too, leaving the imperial Soldier alone.

"In the name of the Empire, I want to thank you too. General Tullius has told me to give you a reward for resolving this situation. The money will arrive here shortly. You know how the Empire loves its paperwork."

"We thank you for your gratitude," Tolfdir replied, saying goodbye with a bow. After the delegates had left, Mabel came out of hiding. "Miss Pines. Did you listen in on this?"

"Sorry. She didn't notice anything, right?"

"No. We never mentioned your or your Uncle." Tolfdir assured. "We know what the Thalmor could do to you."

"It's a bit of a shame though. I defeated him, yet I don't get any of the credit."

"Sometimes, that's how heroism works. Most of the heroes in history have gone unnoticed." Faralda explained. "But we'll make sure you get a part of the reward."

"Can I keep the Wand?" Mabel asked.

"We won't leave one of the most prized Artifacts of Tamriel in the hands of a twelve-year-old child," Arniel said.

"Bummer," Mabel muttered. She really didn't get any out of this. Not that that was necessary, but it would've been nice. "Where's Ford anyways?"

"He's inside the Arcaneum, helping Urag with putting the books back on their shelves," Faralda said. "Now if you excuse me, I have to look if everything is alright in the Midden." With that, she left, followed by Arniel and Tolfdir. With nothing else to do, Mabel went up into the Arcaneum.

Towers of books stood around, and three people, Stanford, Urag and the Khajiit were working on sorting them back into the shelves. "Hey, guys!"

"Mabel? Are you done with the bridge?" Ford asked.

"Yep. All loose stones are... taken care of. Can I help?"

"Sure. You know the Whitegold Tower sorting method?" Urag asked.

"Uh... I can sort them after the Alphabet." Mabel replied, hoping it'd be enough.

"Then no. Such a collection of books must be sorted in the right way." Urag replied. "You can help with another task. This is the perfect chance to make new labels for the shelves. There's a list on my desk, use it and make them."

"Ugh, fine," Mabel said and stomped over to the desk. With help, she meant helping out with the books, so that she could talk with Ford a bit. Not writing something on paper. And Urag's handwriting certainly wasn't helping.

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Barbas asked as Pacifica put on the last part of the leather armor Mabel gave her.

"We need to get rid of that Blade. And it's the only way I know how."

"But you realize how far north the Sea of Ghosts is, right?" Barbas asked.

"I'll just use a carriage to go to Riften."

"Uhm, Riften's in the south."

"I know. I just have some... unfinished business there." Pacifica replied. "You can come along if you want."

"Of course I'm gonna come along. I need something to eat." Barbas replied. "Although I'm not sure if I'm going to like this."

"Just trust me." With that, Pacifica and Barbas left Whiterun, renting a carriage towards Riften.

* * *

 **And here's Chapter 39.**

 **I know it's a bit short, but the Quest with the bark didn't give much to work with, so I decided to put in the parts about Mabel and Pacifica, even though they were originally meant to be in the next Chapter.**

 **Anyways, now to replies:**

 **Glitter Bomb1221: Well, I said that the Chapter would take a bit longer from now on. The first reason is that I currently have five stories going, and the second one is that I want to make the Chapters higher quality.**

 **coronadomontes: Thanks**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	40. The last Snow Elf

Chapter 40: The last Snow Elf

"So... this is the cave, huh?" Wendy muttered as she, Dipper and Serana stood in front of the entrance.

"According to what I saw in the Scrolls, it is..." Dipper replied. "Everyone ready?"

"Let's go," Serana said and took the lead.

They entered the, fitting for its name, dark cave, and started their torches by scraping them alongside the cave wall. The warm light and calming sound of the fire instantly filled the room, and they were able to see the dark stone walls, as well as multiple plants growing out of the sides. "Well, it is what I

"Well, it is what I expected," Wendy spoke up. "So Dipper, did that vision tell you what to expect here? Are we going to find a Nord Ruin, or..."

"No, it only told me where to find it. We have to be prepared for everything in here." Dipper replied.

Eventually, they arrived at a small bridge, going over an underground river. The sound of the water echoed throughout the entire cave. "Ugh, I hate stuff like this..." Dipper muttered as they crossed over the heavily shaking bridge.

As they set foot on the other side, they stopped for a second. There wasn't anything like an exit or tunnel, there was just a wall. A dead end. Dipper started going along the wall, searching for something like a secret door.

After ten minutes, he gave up and led his hands down in defeat. "Well, I think this is the end."

"You sure? Is there really no way to go further?" Wendy asked.

"Actually, I think there might be," Serana said, and went onto the bridge again, before looking down.

"Wait, you mean jumping into the river?" Wendy asked in shock. "We don't even know where it leads."

"I see it like that. Either we jump in there and may die, or we don't, and we'll definitely die in a gigantic ice age."

Dipper shrugged. "Makes sense. But it's dangerous."

"Well, not like we have a choice," Wendy yelled out and jumped into the water.

"Wendy! Dammit!" Dipper jumped after her, followed by Serana.

As soon as he entered the water, he quickly swam to the surface to get air. There was a surprisingly high amount of space between the ceiling and the surface of the water. He caught up to Wendy, who actually looked like she was having fun. "This is like a waterslide!"

"Not for long!" Serana screamed as the sound of a waterfall grew louder. The water swept them over the edge, and Wendy took a glance up. There were multiple Frostbites of all sizes above them, instantly dropping into the water.

They reentered the river below them and got swept through another tunnel, before coming out at a number of shallow, small water streams deep in the cave. Suddenly, the spiders came out behind them and attacked.

It didn't take long to take the arachnoids down, and they all caught their breaths. "Good that no one of us is an arachnophobe." Wendy laughed.

"Actually, I think I might have developed a fear of spider thanks to this," Dipper replied.

They made their way through the cave, eventually arriving at a small alcove, where some people had set up camp. But judging by the dead bodies, they didn't live here for very long.

"These people were... why would someone want to set up camp here? I wonder what happened to them."

Dipper picked up a small notebook and began to read it out loud. _"Sister, I know that you'll come find me, but it will be too late. If you find this letter, get out of this forsaken cave as soon as possible. We were fools to think we could live so close to such creatures and live peacefully. I should've headed back to camp with you after we placed the torches down here. I thought these trolls would be different, that they would somehow understand that we didn't want to hurt them. I am now cornered and it's only a matter of time before one of the trolls decides to finish me off. I hope it is a quick death. Farewell, my dear sister."_

"Yeah... It's definitely their fault." Wendy said. "Who would try to tame trolls?"

"Gunmar?" Dipper shrugged.

"Fair enough." Wendy looked at the two way going off from the place. One led down, while the other one led up. "Where should we go?"

"When years of video games told me anything, then that you always have to go deeper to reach the end."

"Video games?" Serana asked.

"Uhm... Something we had back home. It's some form of... magical entertainment." Wendy said, trying to find a good explanation.

"Your home is strange."

"You don't know the half of it," Dipper muttered. "Come on."

As they went through the tunnel, they arrived in a big opening. Two trolls walked around down here and instantly ran towards them. Wendy blocked the claws of one Troll with her shield and swiped her sword blade across its belly. The Troll cried out in pain, and Wendy stabbed her sword into its throat, killing the Troll. The other one approached Serana, who quickly burned it.

After taking care of the trolls, they started to look around and saw something they didn't expect. There was a man, standing at a small camp. Next to him was some sort of shrine, made out of white marble.

"What's that?" Serana muttered, looking at the shrine. "I feel some kind of power from it..."

"Come forward. You have nothing to fear here." The man said.

They slowly came closer and managed to see his face. He had a skin as white as snow, and long ears, meaning he was some sort of elf. "I am Knight-Paladin Gelebor. Welcome to the Great Chantry of Auri-El."

"So... You're a priest of Auriel," Dipper replied. "In a Cave. That's unreachable unless you jump into the water. Why is this place here again?"

"Auriel, Auri-El, Alkosh, Akatosh... so many names for the sovereign of the snow elves," Gelebor said calmly.

"Okay, let's cut to the chase," Wendy said. "We're here in search of some sort of magical bow."

"Ah, of course. You're here for Auriel's Bow. Why else would you be here? I can help you to get it, but first I must have your assistance."

Dipper sighed. "Okay. What is it?"

"I need you to kill Arch-Curate Vyrthur... my brother."

"Wait, what?" Wendy yelled out. "Why do we need to kill your brother?"

"Maybe he's lost it, all alone down here." Serana guessed.

"No, I'm not insane. The kinship between us is gone. I don't understand what he's become, but he's no longer the brother I once knew. It was the betrayed... they did something to him, I just don't know why Auri-El would allow this to happen."

"Yeah, I'm lost," Wendy muttered.

"What are the betrayed?" Dipper asked.

"I think you call them Falmer. They swept into the Chantry without warning, and began killing everyone without pause."

"What? And you didn't defend yourselves? No wonder you got attacked." Wendy said.

"The Chantry was a place of peaceful worship. I led a small group of Paladins, but we were no match for the Betrayed's sheer numbers. They slaughtered everyone and stormed the Inner Sanctum where I believe they corrupted Vyrthur."

"If that happened, then how do you even know that he's still alive. I don't think they would've let him live..." Wendy replied.

"He's alive. I've seen him. But something's wrong. He never looks as though he's in pain or under duress. He just... stands there and watches, as though waiting."

"Okay... Maybe he's just dead on the inside then." Dipper muttered. "Have you ever tried to get to him?"

"Leaving the wayshrines unguarded would be violating my sacred duties as a Knight-Paladin of Auriel."

"That's a pretty dumb reason..." Wendy muttered but was cut off by Gelebor.

"And an assault on the Chantry would likely end in my death."

"Yeah, that one's a fair point. And I guess this is the Wayshrine then?" Serana asked, gesturing at the small temple.

"Yes. They were used for meditation and transport when the Chantry was a place of enlightenment. Prelates of these shrines were charged with teaching the mantras of Auri-El to our Initiates."

"Let me take a wild guess..." Dipper said. "We have to find all of them and activate them to get to the sanctum, right?"

"Essentially. Are you perhaps well versed in Snow Elve Culture?"

"No, just the standard procedure when it comes to stuff like that. How do we activate them?"

"To make it simple, and initiate has to dip a ceremonial Ewer in the basin of the center, and gradually fill it up, before pouring it into the sacred basin of the Sanctum," Gelebor explained.

"And how many are there?"

"Five, all scattered around the Chanty."

"Must be some massive caves..." Wendy muttered.

"Oh, no. The Chanty encompasses far more than just caves, but that you will soon discover yourselves. So, you want to do the ceremony?"

"Well, if we don't, then the world will be thrown into the biggest ice age ever, so yeah," Dipper replied. "Where's that Ewer?"

Gelebor grabbed a big, bronze Ewer that was hidden behind some rocks, and gave it to Dipper, who in turn gave it to Wendy due to the weight. "I grant you my hopes for a safe journey."

"Don't worry. We can make it." Wendy replied, and they filled it on the first wayshrine. In front of them, one of the arcs in the wall shifted, turning into some sort of portal into a cave full of glowing mushrooms. They looked back at Gelebor, and nodded determined, before entering the portal.

* * *

Mabel yawned audibly, as she was standing in the hall of elements, together with her classmates. After the incident with the Eye and the following clean-up operation, the normal flow of the day had returned, including classes in different magic topics. Like it normally worked at schools, it was obvious after a few classes which teachers were good and which were not.

And Tolfdir was definitely one of the better teachers in the school. Sadly, he was only an assistant to the teacher that actually led the class right now: Drevis Neloren. Although he easily forgot things, he was strict when it came to the school of Illusion spells.

The reason a master of Illusion Spells and a Master of Alteration Spells was leading the lesson was simple: The Spell they were learning was a mix between the two.

"Like said, this Spell will enable you to change small creatures for a short amount of time. For example, you could transform a mouse into a bird." To demonstrate this, Neloren cast the Spell at a mouse in a cage, which turned into a chicken.

"Woah..." Mabel muttered in awe.

"Here is a Tome that will give you the basics. However, this is a Spell mage have to refine by themselves." Tolfdir explained while handing a book to everyone.

After all had learned the new Spell, Drevis brought in a cage for every student. "Now, please demonstrate your new spell."

"Hey, Mabel, you know what you're going to change your mice into?" J'Zargo muttered.

"Yeah. Something I always wanted to see in Real Life." Mabel said and cast the Spell. However, it didn't work, and the mice only looked around confused. Mabel took a glimpse at the others and saw that it was working for them. J'Zargo's mice had turned into a small bird, the same with the others. "Why doesn't it work for me?"

"What have you tried to create?" Drevis asked.

"A Unicorn..."

"It's not that easy. You can't just turn a rat into a Dragon. It can't be too much apart from the previous creature." Drevis explained.

"So, this wouldn't work?" Mabel asked while casting the Spell again. However, the Mice started to transform this time, and before Mabel could do anything, a small black creature was sitting in the cage, with a long tail ending in a spike. Its elongated head darted around, hissing at everyone while a second, smaller mouth came out of its regular mouth.

"What in Oblivion is that?" Tolfdir asked.

"What? A Unicorn doesn't work, but a Xenomorph does?" Mabel asked in confusion.

Suddenly, the small Monster started to attack the bars of its cage, and everyone stepped back for a second.

"Don't worry. The effect of the Spell only lasts for one or two minutes." Drevis said.

"Heh. Yeah. And those things totally don't lay eggs in you..."

Slowly, every head turned towards her. "Why would you think of such a monstrosity?"

"Wasn't me! It's from a movie!"

"What's a movie?" One of the other students asked.

"Right. You're not that far here. I'm sorry that I created a killer alien." She said with a smile.

"Anyways, try some more. One day, you'll get the hang of it." Tolfdir explained. "And until then, try not to think of any nasty monsters."

* * *

 **And Chapter 40 is up.**

 **As one can see in this Chapter, I'll try to put in a little look at what Mabel is doing after the Dawnguard part, to develop her relationship with the school a bit more.**

 **I've also decided to split up the mission with Auriel's bow, as the second part can get rather long with all the Falmer, double dragon fight, and boss in the end.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **Bayoboo: In a way. You'll see how it works out in two or three Chapters.**

 **joshuaobryan549: Yeah, I'm trying to somewhat bring it different styles with the different characters.  
Personally, I always like to use one handed and wield a spell or shield (In my opinion, Spellbreaker is one of the best Items in the game) on the other hand while using heavy armor, although I often switch to light armor once I can make them out of Dragonscales. **

**XxxGlitterBombxxX: Balancing Five Stories isn't too hard. I live relatively far away from cities, so there isn't much to do in my freetime other than playing with friends online, watching TV/Anime and writing. And it isn't that ruff as long as you have fun with it. It also helps that I have the basic draft of one story ready for all Chapters.**

 **OMAC001: Then you're going to like next Chapter**

 **coronadomontes: Thanks**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	41. The reptilian brothers

Chapter 41: The reptilian brothers  


Their vision quickly became clear after Wendy, Dipper, and Serana went through the Portal that opened up at the first wayshrine. They found themselves in a cave somewhat similar to the one they were just in, with the difference that there were a lot more glowing plants and fungi here.

"Well... that wasn't as unpleasant as I thought it would be. Kind of soothing, actually. I feel a little warmer now." Serana muttered.

"I dunno. I feel the same." Dipper replied.

Wendy walked up to a couple of vines growing on a wall, and pulled them out, after which she used them to make sure the Ewer wouldn't tip over in their bag. "So, ready to go?"

"Sure. By the way, what do you think he meant with Betrayed?" Dipper asked as they started walking.

They passed a couple of pink plants, which retreated once one of them came to close. It felt like some sort of alien planet, with strange creatures everywhere. As they entered a small passage with patches of water everywhere, Wendy held out her arm, stopping Serana and Dipper. "Did you hear something?" He asked.

"Be careful," Wendy muttered and pointed towards some sort of dark-brown object in the corner. "I've seen those things in Mzulft. From what I've seen, they're like cocoons."

"What? Is an Alien gonna jump out?"

"Eh, not that bad. It's not like there'd be an Alien in Skyrim anyway." Wendy scoffed. "It's a big bug."

"Can we sneak by?"

"I'd rather not get attacked from behind later on," Serana said. "I can try to burn it."

"Go for it."

Thus, Serana readied a Fire Spell, cast it onto the cocoon, and it started to burn. It exploded, green goo splattering everywhere, as a giant, black and gray creature was born. It had long arms, ending in blades, and thin arms and wings.

Luckily, it was burning already and died before it even realized what was going on. "Good news is, I'm pretty sure I know who the 'Betrayed' are," Wendy muttered, kicking the dead Chaurus. "Falmer."

"Great," Serana replied. "We won't get through here easily."

"Just follow my lead," Wendy said proudly. "I've dealt with enough of those things in Mzulft. I know how we have to fight them."

"All of us have a different fighting style," Dipper answered.

"Right. Just hit them where they don't have armor. They're blind too, try to use that."

As they continued, they found a hole in the wall, where a Falmer jumped out. It was quickly killed though, as well as the other Falmer that jumped out of their holes. They went down a small ramp and were attacked by another large bug, this time bound to Earth.

Wendy blocked an acid spit with her shield, and Dipper shot an arrow at the Chaurus, piercing its armor. It cried out and was finished by a second arrow. A second Chaurus was alerted by the fight, and came in, only to be shot down by a volley of Fireballs.

"Those things are annoying..." Dipper muttered.

"I hope there aren't as many here as there were in Mzulft," Wendy replied.

They continued their way through the Cave, fighting Falmer and Chaurus along the way. The Falmer had built multiple checkpoints throughout the cave, out of chitin they harvested from their Chaurus. However, they managed to surprise the Falmer most of the time, seeing as the elves were completely blind.

After roughly an hour of traversing the cave, they found a single skeleton with an elven shield and sword next to it. A note was sticking out from between the ribs, and Dipper pulled it out. _"Strange why the cursed have set up so many traps near this stone barrier. Going to rest for a bit, not take any chances. They set up those traps for a reason and I'm not about to go rushing in to find out why. Just going to sit here, regain my strength and possibly try to use the traps to my advantage."_

"Looks like it worked out great," Wendy muttered.

"I think that are the traps they mentioned," Serana said, pointing at a giant claw at the ceiling. Two chains were hanging on the wall.

"I guess one activates the traps, and the other one opens up the way," Dipper said, looking at the chains.

"So... which one is which?" Wendy asked.

"I'm afraid we have to try that out."

"Fifty-Fifty chance that we die. I mean, we had it worse." Wendy replied, and pulled out a coin. "Head is the right chain, tails is the left one." She snipped it up into the air and caught it. As she took her hand away, they saw tails being up top. Thus, Dipper pulled the left chain.

Next, to them, a stone lowered itself into the ground. The relief that they pulled the right one quickly left though, as they spotted a Sabercat on the other side of the hidden door. It jumped towards them, but Dipper managed to shoot an arrow into its belly. The cat lost its momentum and fell directly onto Wendy, who was holding up her sword.

Dipper took a quick look at the cat and noticed some stripes that glow slightly, as well as the fact that its body was thinner than the regular version. Must be a species adapted to the caves.

With the cat dead, they entered the new cave and stared in awe. In front of them was a giant chamber, with waterfalls coming down from the ceiling. Big, glowing mushrooms grew on the walls, and deer ran around below them, drinking from an underground pond.

"This is awesome," Dipper said.

"You should've seen Blackreach. Was like this, only bigger."

They started to walk down a path and passed a couple of the deer. They noticed that the creatures had bioluminescent stripes, and Dipper explained that they were most likely isolated from the rest of the population long enough to evolve those features.

Then there was the strange plantlife that was growing here, most notoriously small plants that released poisonous spores once one came to close. Even though they had a couple of antidotes with them, none of them wanted to take any chances.

As they finally arrived at the end of the chamber, they saw the next wayshrine. As they approached it, a ghostly figure appeared, the spirit of the shrines prelate. "Welcome, Initiate. This is the wayshrine of Illumination. Are you prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-El and fill your vessel with his enlightenment?"

"Yes, we are," Dipper replied respectfully.

"Then behold Auri-El's gift, my child. May it light your path as you seek tranquility within the Inner Sanctum. May Auri-El's brilliance illuminate your path." With those words, the Ghost disappeared, and they approached the shrine.

Wendy filled the Ewer, and a new portal opened. Through it, they were able to see a snow-covered valley. Without much hesitation, they stepped inside and came out in the exact place they just saw.

The weather instantly became colder, and the snow gave in under their feet.

"So... where do we have to go now?" Wendy asked.

"This seems to be a whole hidden valley," Serana muttered. "This place could be gigantic."

"I have an idea..." Dipper replied. "Stay back." He looked at the ground and shouted.

 _"DUR NEH VIIR!"_

Purple energy appeared at the spot Dipper used the Shout on, and the figure of a dragon formed. After taking form, the reptile shook itself and looked at Dipper. _"AH, THE FREE AIR OF VUS AT LONG LAST. AS PROMISED, I NOW TEACH YOU THE FIRST WORD OF SOUL TEARING: 'RII'- THE ESSENCE OF YOUR ENEMIES LIFE FORCE."_

"Holy shit a dragon!" Wendy cried out, as Dipper absorbed the new Shout.

 _ **Rii-Essence**_

"Calm down, he's on our side," Dipper replied.

"Oh, that's the dragon you fought in the Soulcairn?" Wendy asked. "Nice to meetcha."

" _QAHNAARIN. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANT ME TO DO?"_

"Is he ignoring me?"

"Yeah, how long can you stay here?"

 _"IN YOUR CONCEPT OF TIME, IT WOULD BE THIRTY MINUTES, MAYBE LATER IF I WAS SUMMONED MORE OFTEN, I COULD STAY LONGER."_

"Great. Listen, can you take a flight through the valley and tell us where the shrines of Akatosh and Falmer are? We need to find a bow to stop a mass extinction."

 _"I STAY IN YOUR COMMAND, QAHNAARIN."_

Thus, Durnehviir took off, flying over a mountain next to them. "And now? Do we wait here?" Wendy asked.

"We should start going ourselves," Serana answered. "Durnehviir should be able to find us easily."

With their ally scouting ahead, the three of them started to walk through the valley themselves, filling up their Ewer at another wayshrine. Eventually, they left the immediate area around the cave and got a good look at the valley. Giant, frozen waterfalls were visible on the other side of a partially frozen lake, with giant mountains in the background.

Deer ran around the lake, drinking water from it, as Dipper, Wendy, and Serana continued with their journey, going up an incline and arrived at a big, frozen lake. "There's another word!" Dipper yelled excited and pointed at a word wall on top of a hill.

He started to run over the frozen lake, ignoring Wendy's warnings. At least he did until some big shadow moved under him. A second later, and the whole lake exploded.

Dipper looked up, and saw a dragon in front of him, possessing a flat tail and neck, like the one that attacked Whiterun a couple of days ago.

Wendy ran towards him, followed by Serana, as another dragon broke out form the ice behind them. "Two of those things?" Wendy screamed. "One's bad enough."

"What do you want from us?" Serana asked, hoping to negotiate.

 _"DOVAHKIIN!"_ One of the dragons replied. _"THOUSANDS OF YEAR AGO, SNOW ELVES DEFEATED ME, VOSLAARUM, AND MY SIBLING, NAASLAARUM."_

 _"THEY SLAID US, BANISHED US UNDER THIS VERY LAKE. UNTIL LORD ALDUIN FREED US FROM OUR GRAVE!"_

 _"IN HIS NAME, WE WILL DEFEAT YOU, AND ENSURE DRAGON SUPREMACY! YOL TOOR SHUL!"_ A wave of fire left the snouts of both monsters and swept over the lake.

Wendy rolled out of the way, looking over to Dipper, who ran towards the hill with the word wall to get a better angle at the two dragons. Arrows started flying, but the dragons dove back under the lake, coming out at another place. "Dammit. If they keep doing that, we won't have any area left to stand on." Serana muttered.

Dipper shot at the dragons, ignoring the word wall, as one of them suddenly appeared right in front of him, water and ice raining off the reptile. He prepared his fire breath, as something tackled him, causing the fire to go up into the air. Dipper saw Durnehviir, who had saved his life.

Voslaarum got back up, and flew into the air, stopping in front of Durnehviir. Naaslaarum came to his brother's aid, and both looked at Durnehviir. _"DURNEHVIIR. ALDUIN WAS LOOKING FOR YOU. WE NEEDED YOUR AID IN THE DRAGON WARS."_

 _"I WAS NOT THERE TO HELP OUT."_

 _"AH YES. YOU TRIED TO DWELL IN THE DARK ARTS OF ALOK-DILON. AND THEN, THE IDEAL MASTERS TRICKED YOU."_

 _"AND NOW THAT YOU'RE BACK, YOU'VE FOOLISHLY ALLIED YOURSELF WITH THE JOOR."_

 _"I'VE SPEND THOUSANDS OF YEARS IN THE SOULCAIRN; SAW MILLIONS OF SOULS ENTER AND LEAVE. I TALKED TO MANY OF THEM. ONE THING I REALIZED IS THAT WE DRAGONS AND THE MORTALS ARE NOT THAT DIFFERENT. ALL OF US ARE FULL OD BRIDE, ANGER, HATRED. YOU TWO ARE NO DIFFERENT, HAVING SUCH A TREMENDOUS LUST FOR REVENGE."_

 _"WATCH YOUR TONGUE. WE WILL BANÌSH YOU BACK TO THE LAND OF THE DEAD, SO THAT ALDUIN CAN ENSURE OUR CONTROL AGAIN!"_ Voslaarum leashed out towards Durnehviir, starting to fight him, while Naaslaarum turned his attention back to the humans.

Wendy held up her shield to defend herself against a Firebreath and looked to Serana. "Any ideas?"

The vampire started to shoot Fireballs at the dragon in response, and the reptile turned back towards her, only to receive an arrow to the eye. He cried out in pain, and dove back under the water, giving them a second to breathe.

Dipper looked over to Durnehviir, who was fighting against Voslaarum. Both dragons were using their Thu'um against each other, and shockwaves shook the air above the frozen lake. Additionally, they used their teeth and claws to their advantage, inflicting a lot of damage to each other. However, it looked like Durnehviir had the upper hand since he was able to hone his skills in the Soulcairn while Voslaarum was, well, dead.

The ice broke, as the dragon broke out of the lake again, breathing fire around it. Wendy held up her shield, stopping most of the flames, while some of them still hit her arms, though they didn't do any damage due to her armor.

"I have an idea," Dipper yelled out, running towards his friends. He jumped to the side, as Voslaarum landed next to him, breathing fire against the flying Durnehviir.

"And what is it?" Wendy asked, patting off the flames.

"This." He held up a potion. "According to Arcadia, this potion helps against the cold."

"So..."

"Drink it and jump onto his back once he dives back under water."

"I can't swim," Wendy replied. "This armor's too heavy."

"Then I'll do it," Serana said and took the potion.

"Okay, try to hit its head."

The vampire downed the potion in one swig and readied herself. Naaslaarum dove down towards her, and she jumped at the least second, managing to hold onto the dragon's wing.

Wendy and Dipper waited for a second until the dragon came back out of the water, Serana still holding on. She slowly climbed towards the monsters head and started to cast Ice Spikes at it, trying to cut through the scales. This confused the dragon, and he started to fly lower as he tried to shake her off.

Eventually, he was low enough for Dipper to hit him, and the arrow pierced one of the wings, causing the dragon to lose more height. He cried out, as one Ice Spike finally came through the scales, and the shock of the freezing cold and the pain of the object digging into his spine caused the dragon to fall down so that Wendy could stab her sword into its eye.

 _"FUS ROH!"_ He shouted out in pain, the shockwave of the Shout knocking trees and snow down the frozen waterfall. Wendy quickly drew her ax and threw it into his already damaged wing. The damage in combination with the Ice that appeared prevented the dragon from taking off again.

Without anywhere to run, he faced Dipper. _"YOU MORTALS HAVE GROWN ARROGANT, JUST LIKE ALDUIN SAID. BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT, YOUR TEAMWORK IS ADMIRABLE. IT WILL BE BROUGHT TO GOOD USE WHEN WE ARE IN CONTROL AGAIN."_

"Won't happen, dude," Wendy said, walking past his head. "We will stop him, and go back home. You can't stop us."

 _"I ALMOST BURNED YOU DOWN. YOU SHOULDN'T BE THIS ARROGANT."_

"Okay, I agree with you on that."

"Uhm, can we end this now?" Dipper asked.

"Oh right." Wendy stabbed her sword into the dragons head, while Dipper shot an arrow into its throat. Serana used another Ice spike to stab into his neck, and the dragon collapsed. Like always, Dipper absorbed his soul, feeling pure power going through his veins.

* * *

Voslaarum tried to bury his teeth into Durnehviir, but the undead Dragon swung his tail around, hitting Voslaarum. He then dug his claws into the foe and started to fly towards the wall. He let loose at the last moment, and Voslaarum crashed into the ice wall, big chunks of ice falling down to the lake, followed by the Dragon.

 _"FUS ROH!"_ Durnehviir shouted at the cliff, and more, bigger chunks of ice broke off, burying Voslaarum under them. One particularly sharp ice shard stabbed through his upper body, effectively pinning him down. Durnehviir landed next to the defeated dragon.

 _"DURNEHVIIR. YOU HAVEN'T STOPPED TRAINING INSIDE THE SOULCAIRN."_

 _"I DIDN'T. BUT THIS LOSS IS SOLELY TO BLAME ON YOUR MISTAKES. YOUR BLIND RAGE AND ANGER CLOUDED YOUR VISION. THIS IS NOT HOW DRAGONS SHOULD FIGHT."_

 _"AND NOW LOOK AT ME, OLD FRIEND. CAPTURED LIKE THE DRAGON NUMINEX. MY BROTHER DEAD. AGAIN. HIS SOUL ABSORBED BY THE DOVAHKIIN."_

 _"YOU WILL END THE SAME WAY, VOSLARUUM. BUT REST ASSURED THAT IT WILL BE FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF ALL."_

 _"IT WON'T. THIS WORLD'S FATE IS TO BE RULED BY ALDUIN. THE MORTALS ARE NOTHING BUT WORKFORCE AND FOOD."_

 _"THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE WRONG, VOSLARUUM."_ Durnehviir looked towards the three humans. Wendy tried to walk, but slipped, and fell over, causing Serana and Dipper to chuckle. _"I'VE SEEN COUNTLESS SOULS IN THE SOULCAIRN, SPOKE WITH THOUSANDS OF THEM. MORTALS FROM ALL WAYS OF LIFE. THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES AND EMOTIONS AS WE DO, THEY EVEN SHARE THE SAME GODS."_

 _"AND THIS IS YOUR REASON FOR BETRAYING YOUR KIND LIKE PAARTHURNAX ONCE DID? THEIR FOOLISH TALK HAS WARPED YOU, FRIEND."_

 _"IT IS NOT ONLY THE SOULS I'VE MET THAT TAUGHT ME. FROM TIME TO TIME, I AM ABLE TO OVERHEAR THE IDEAL MASTERS. THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THE THINGS GOING ON IN OBLIVION. A STORM IS COMING; ONE NOT EVEN THE GODS COULD PREVENT, AND THAT COULD MEAN THE END OF NIRN. OF OBLIVION. OF ALL THINGS:"_

 _"BUT THE MORTALS CAN? YOU REALIZE HOW IDIOTIC THAT SOUNDS, DON'T YOU?"_

 _"IT MIGHT SOUND FOOLISH, BUT THEY HAVE SOMETHING GODS AND DAEDRA DON'T HAVE. FREE WILL. THEY ARE NOT BOUND BY THEIR NATURE. SHEOGORATH CAN NEVER BE NOT INSANE, JYGGALAG CAN NEVER BE CHAOTIC. THIS IS WERE THE MORTALS SHINE."_

Voslaarum looked at the ground and started to breathe more heavily. _"IF YOU SAY THAT; THEN I WILL BELIEVE THAT. MY TIME IN MUNDUS IS FADING NOW. EVEN THOUGH I LOST, I AM HAPPY TO HAVE HAD ONE FINAL BATTLE WITH YOU, OLD FRIEND."_

 _"I AM HAPPY TOO. MAY YOU REST IN ETERNAL PEACE, AND MAY YOUR SOUL BE RETURNED TO AKATOSH."_ Durnehviir looked as Voslaarum started to burn away, his soul transferring over to Dipper.

* * *

"Good work Durnehviir!" Dipper yelled as he ran towards the summoned Dragon.

The reptile turned around and looked at the three coming towards him. "By the way, it sounded like you knew those two." Wendy pointed out.

 _"THAT IS TRUE. I'VE KNOWN THOSE TWO BEFORE I DISAPPEARED. THE THREE OF US WORKED TOGETHER ON UNCOVERING THE SECRETS OF ALOK-DILON. BUT WHILE THEY KNEW WHEN TO STOP... I DID NOT."_

"Wow. Sorry man." Dipper muttered. "By the way, have you seen anything ahead?"

 _"THE BEINGS YOU CALL FALMER HAVE BUILT A FORTRESS AROUND THE SNOW ELVEN TEMPLE. IT WILL BE HARD TO BREAK THROUGH, BUT IF YOU USE THE SURROUNDING CAVES AND BRIDGES TO YOUR ADVANTAGE, YOU WILL SURVIVE. I HOPE THAT MY ASSISTANCE WAS OF HELP TO YOU. MY TIME IS OVER FOR NOW, PLEASE SUMMON ME AGAIN WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT."_

"Thanks, Durnehviir," Dipper said, while his friend disappeared back into the Soulcairn.

"Ya know, Durnehviir is pretty cool for a Dragon," Wendy said.

"Yes, he is. Now it's finally time to get to the Bow." Dipper replied, and looked into the canyon before them.

* * *

Pacifica stood before the orphanage she was taken in by weeks ago. Next to her was Barbas, the daedric dog, looking at the building with her. It was already nighttime, the perfect time for what they had in mind. There was someone inside the house who had made her life more of a living hell than her parents did, and continued to do so for the other children in there.

And now was time for her to pay, for sweet karma to take its prize. And for the Ebony Blade to take its victim. Maybe with that prize paid, she'd be able to finally get rid of the damn blade.

She slowly opened the door, doing her best to be quiet. The room of the owner was located in the back of the sleeping room, meaning that there was a high chance for the children to wake up and spot her. However, to bring to odds of her favor, she brought a special potion along, one that, according to Arcadia, could make her invisible. She quickly downed the drink and noticed how her hands turned invisible.

Of course, there was also the possibility of taking a potion Dipper created, but when only her skin went invisible, then that might make things even worse when she would be discovered.

Slowly making her way to the door, she stopped as wood cracked under her. She waited a couple of seconds until she was sure that no one had woken up, and continued, opening the door to the room. Grelod was sitting in front of her desk, writing something on a paper.

Pacifica took a deep breath. This was it, the time she would not only help out all the children in here but also the first time she'd take a human life. Some doubt came up in her, and she thought about going back for a second. No, this was her only chance. She would not lead Grelod torture the children anymore.

The blonde held up the blade and swiftly stabbed it through one of the holes in the back of the chair. Crimson blood poured out of the fresh wound, and she could see Grelod looking up in a silent scream. She wasn't an expert, but Pacifica was sure that she had stabbed her lung and heart. A quick death, and a silent one.

No one would know what actually happened, only that Grelod was murdered by someone. And to shift any attention away from her, the second part of her plan was about to be set. Before setting out, she had informed herself a little bit and found out how the symbol of a peculiar guild of assassins looked. A black hand on a piece of fiber. She put the fabricated evidence down in the room, making it look like whoever left it got it ripped away from them while leaving.

Thus, she quickly left, silently closing the door, and going back outside. Her potion was still working, and she tried to sneak back into the room she rented in the Inn.

Inside, Barbas was already waiting and seemed to have smelled her. "How did it go?"

Pacifica sat down on the bed. "Grelod... Grelod is dead. I killed her."

"Was it at least quick?"

"Yeah. Stabbed her through the heart. At least I think so." Pacifica took the bloodstained Ebony Blade and looked at it. It had a slight glimmer to it under the shine of the candle. "I hope we can get rid of this damn thing now."

"And you're sure that it was a good idea to blame the Dark Brotherhood?" Barbas asked, and curled himself up on the floor.

"Please. It stated everywhere that they disappeared year ago. I don't have to worry about that." With those words, she laid down on the bed and pulled the blanket over her. "At least I hope so..."

* * *

 **And here is Chapter 41.**

 **I know I kind of said that they would finish the hidden valley in this Chapter, but it would've made it infinitely longer, so I decided to concentrate a bit on the well-known dragon fight and give a little bit of backstory to Voslaarum and Naaslaarum.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **joshuaobryan549: I think my biggest WTF moment was during my second playthrough. I was somewhere near Riften, as I witnessed a battle between a dragon, two Giants and their Mammoths, Vampires and Stendarr's followers. Although I only watched from the sidelines, it was interesting to see. (Especially since the dragon also had the bug that it flew backward). But I don't think that beats three dragons at once.**

 **XxxGlitterBombxxX: I mean, he doesn't really know anything about the Snow Elves or Falmer, so there wasn't much of a reaction there.**

 **Ilikebob: Technically yes, but I didn't want to expand a Chapter of a GF and Skyrim crossover with the Magic college chasing a tiny Xenomorph. Now that I say it, it actually sounds like fun.**

 **coronodates: Thanks.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	42. Touching the Sky

Chapter 42: Touching the sky

"There they are..." Dipper muttered, kneeling behind a couple of rocks next to Wendy and Serana. The main bastion of the Falmer was directly in front of them, consisting of cave systems and high-hanging bridges.

They could already see the patrolling Falmer, who looked like they were on high alert, most likely due to the battle that just took place.

"The Sanctum should be at the end of the canyon," Wendy replied. "But there are too many."

"What if we try to sneak past them?" Dipper asked.

"That would be a problem," Serana said and pointed towards a small building ontop a cliff. "See? There's the last wayshrine."

"So we're fucked." Wendy sighed. "Was good to know you."

"Actually, I think I might have an idea," Dipper said and started to sneak towards a cocoon that was built down on a riverbank.

"What are you doing?" Wendy asked.

"Disguising ourselves." He shot an arrow at the cocoon, and it exploded, releasing a Chauri Hunter. It flew towards them, but Serana shot it out of the sky with a couple of fireballs.

Dipper took an empty flask from his bag and filled it up with the Chauri Blood.

"What are you doing?" Wendy asked, again.

"I'm not drinking that..." Serana said.

"No, we'll use that as a disguise. The Falmer are blind, aren't they? That means as long as we don't alert their other senses, they won't be hostile."

"Oh, I understand. You want to use that stuff to smell like a Chauri?"

"Precisely." Dipper emptied the bottle over his head and shuttered. "Okay, that was worse than expected."

"You smell like mammoth dung." Wendy said, holding her nose. "Do I have to do that?"

"Unless you want them to kill you, yes," Serana said, pouring a flask over herself. "By Oblivion, this is really bad. And warm."

Wendy sighed and poured out Chauri blood over herself. "Dipper, you'll pay for this."

"What? Why me?"

"'Cuz you had this idea. Let's hope it works."

They started to sneak through the caves, trying to be as quiet as possible. From time to time, a Falmer came close and sniffed, but then turned away again, meaning their disguise worked.

However, they tried to be fast, as none of them knew how long the stench would last. After walking over a bridge, they finally arrived at the wayshrine. The three waited until no Falmer was around, and entered.

Like at the other shrines, the image of a Snow elve waited for them. "You've found the wayshrine of radiance, Initiates. Are you prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-El and fill your vessel with his enlightenment?"

"Yes," Serana answered.

"May the blessings of Auri-El protect you as you climb the road to the Inner Sanctum and final enlightenment. May Auri-El's radiance fill your heart with joy."

Wendy filled up the Ewer, and they continued on until they spotted a majestic building. It looked like some sort of cathedral and was surprisingly well preserved.

"That... that has to be the place." Serana stuttered. "I've never seen a building like that before. It looks like some kind of ancient temple. Never saw anything like this on the Island."

After going through another small cave, they finally entered the courtyard of the temple, and stopped in front of a statue of a giant snow elve, carrying two long sticks which held up what looked like the sun.

"Is this Auri-El?" Wendy asked.

"Probably. An old depiction though." Serana answered. "The bow must be in here."

They started to walk up a set of stairs, leading to the last basin in front of the sealed entrance. "How do you think the bow looks?" Dipper asked. "Golden?"

Wendy took the Ewer and approached the basin. "Likely. Maybe with some blue in it." She poured the holy water into the basin, and it flew through some cuts in the ground towards the walls.

The wall shook, and slid down, revealing the entrance into the temple. The three stepped inside and stopped.

There were Falmer everywhere, frozen in place. Wendy approached one of them and touched it. "Cold. Are they dead?" She knocked on his head, and both ears fell off. "Uhm... Wasn't me."

As they walked through the empty halls of the temple, they noticed that the signs of the battle between the Snow Elves and Falmer were still visible. Especially all the frozen Falmer and Chauri.

Eventually, they went through a big door and found themselves in the chapel. The area was cut directly into a glacier. Hordes of frozen Falmer stood at the sides, and a throne was built atop a staircase in the back.

On it sat a man with snow white skin. He had long, pointy ears and wore a grey armor. His eyes widened as they stepped in, while his mouth formed a wide grin. "Looks like you have arrived."

"Are you Vyrthur?" Wendy asked.

"I am. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Listen, just give us the bow. We don't have to make this complicated." Dipper said.

Vyrthur scoffed. "Did you really come here expecting to claim Auri-El's Bow? You've done exactly as I predicted and brought your fetching companion to me."

"Wait, is he talking about me?" Serana asked.

"Which, I'm sorry to say, means your usefulness is at an end! Come forth, my Falmer!" He cast a spell into the air, and the Falmer around them started to move, coming towards the group.

"What? They're actually alive?" Wendy asked in shock.

"I think they're more like the undead." Serana guessed.

"I've got an idea!" Dipper yelled. "Take out the ones moving."

Wendy nodded and stabbed her sword into the stomach of one Falmer. The creature fell down without any signs of pain, giving credence to the idea that they were indeed undead.

Serana bombarded another Falmer with Fireballs, and the explosions caused it's frozen limps to tear off. "You know, the whole ice thing makes it a lot easier," Wendy said, bashing a Chauri into pieces with her shield.

"No!" Vyrthur yelled. Wendy and Serana looked around, only to see that the other Falmer had been destroyed before being brought back to life.

Dipper was breathing heavily, and the arrows around the destroyed statues showed how they got destroyed. "It's over, Vyrthur! There's nowhere to run! Your life will end here!" Serana yelled.

"Child, my life ended long before you were born! And I won't let you ruin centuries of preparation!" Vyrthur started to glow, and energy came out of his hands, shooting directly into the ceiling. "Death first!"

The whole room shook, and the ceiling broke. Rubble and Ice came crashing down, burying everything inside.

Dipper saw how Vyrthur ran off. "Don't let him get away!"

He, Wendy and Serana ran after him, stepping out onto a big balcony overlooking the canyon. Vyrthur stood at the other end of the balcony, breathing heavily. It looked like he exhausted his magic abilities with the attack.

"Enough, Vyrthur. Give us the bow!" Serana yelled.

"How dare you. I was the Arch-Curate of Auri-El, girl. I had the ears of a god!"

"Yeah, yeah. And then the Falmer corrupted you, right?" Wendy added. "Your brother told us all about it."

"Gelebor and his kind are easily manipulated fools. Look into my eyes, Serana. Tell me what I am."

Serana narrowed her eyes, only to open them again in shock. "You're... you're a vampire? But Auriel should have protected you..."

"The moment I was infected by one of my own Initiates, Auri-El turned his back on me. I swore I'd have my revenge, no matter what the cost."

"Wait, wait, wait. You want to take revenge on a god?" Dipper asked. "That's the worst plan ever. Of all time."

"Auri-El himself may be beyond my reach, but his influence on our world wasn't. All I needed was the blood of a vampire and his own weapon, Auri-El's Bow."

"The blood of a vampire... Auri-El's bow..." Serana muttered. "It... It was you? You created that prophecy?"

"A prophecy that lacked a single, final ingredient... the blood of a pure vampire. The blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour."

"And now you got it..." Wendy muttered and stepped forward. "Vyrthur, if it isn't much of a problem, then I'd like to join you in your efforts. I myself have been fallen out with the gods, so a bit of revenge on them would be nice. And if I can become immortal while doing it." She shrugged. "Then why the hell not?"

"Wendy?! What the hell are you doing?"

"Fine, child. Come forth, and I'll grant you the power of a vampire."

Wendy started to walk towards Vyrthur.

"Wendy! Seriously? Why?" Dipper yelled.

"It's obvious that we can't win this fight. Vyrthur has used the conversation to regain his strength. And you know the old saying..." Wendy stopped in front of him, and Vyrthur was about to bite her. "If you can't beat them... ram your knee into their gut!"

Vyrthur gasped as Wendy's knee dug into his stomach, and stumbled backward. "You wench!" He regained his posture, only to receive the side of a shield into his face.

The vampire fell over backward, and over the edge of the balcony. Wendy looked at him and saw how he hit the statue of Auri-El, the sun of the statue piercing through his stomach.

Dipper looked at Wendy. "Clever trick. I thought you'd betray us."

"I would never do that," Wendy replied.

The ground shook behind them, and one last wayshrine rose out of the ground. Gelebor stood up and looked at the three. "So, the deed has been done. The restoration of this wayshrine means that Vyrthur must be dead and the Betrayed no longer has control over him."

"The Betrayed wasn't to blame." Serana pointed out.

"What? What are you talking about?" Gelebor asked confused.

"He turned into a vampire." Dipper explained. "It also looks like he controlled the Falmer, so there's no need to blame them."

"A vampire? I see. That would explain much. Deep inside, it brings me joy that the Betrayed weren't to blame for what happened here."

"Why?" Wendy asked. "Even if he controlled them here, they still attacked me over in Mzulft."

"Because that means there's still hope that they might one day shed their hatred and learn to believe in Auri-El once again. It's been a long time since I felt that way and it's been long overdue. My thanks, to all three of you."

"You're welcome," Wendy said.

"You risked everything to get Auri-El's Bow, and in return, you've restored the chantry. I can't think of a more deserving champion to carry it than you."

Gelebor grabbed a golden, ornamented bow from his back, and gave it to Dipper. The sunlight reflected on the elven metal. "Thanks."

"What now? Will you stay here?" Wendy asked Gelebor.

"Even with Vyrthur gone and the inner Sanctum destroyed, my duty as a Knight-Paladin of Auri-El remains. I've been sworn to protect this vale and everything it represents until I die."

"What about the remaining Falmer? They might try to attack again." Dipper pointed out.

"That's no matter. I am quite able to defend myself, and with the Wayshrines I can travel around the vale quickly. Now, about that bow..."

"Oh, right. What's so special about it?" Wendy asked. "Vyrthur said that he made up the whole prophecy."

"He might have made it up, but the bow is still incredibly powerful. It draws its power from Aetherius itself, channeling it through the sun. Therefore, when an arrow is loosed from the bow, it produces a magical effect very similar to being burned by fire. However, with Sunhallowed Arrows, it will have a far more devastating effect... causing bursts of sunlight to envelop your foes. The sunbursts would certainly hurt anything, but is especially devastating to the undead."

"Nice. I'm gonna keep that." Dipper muttered, throwing away his old bow. "Where can we get those arrows?"

"I can actually assist you in that regard. If you were to bring me some good quality elven arrows, I could imbue them with the proper incantations and rituals."

"Well... We don't have any arrows." Dipper said, a bit disappointed. "Maybe I'll come back some other time."

"That would be appreciated. Now if you excuse me, I'll head inside. I need to assess the damage." With those words, Gelebor went inside, leaving the three alone.

"So... what now?" Wendy asked.

"I think we all know," Serana said. "It's time to face my father. If we don't, he'll keep chasing us for the rest of our lives."

"If we do that... you realize that he'll have to die, right?" Dipper asked. "He'll certainly not let us walk away once we face him."

"I've been thinking about this for a long time. It's... it's not easy. But I don't think we have much of a choice."

Wendy put a hand on Serena's shoulder and smiled. "Hey, we'll face him together."

"Thank you. But if we kick in the front door, we'll be knee-deep in his friends."

"That's true..." Dipper muttered. "But now that we have the bow, I'm sure the Dawnguard can organize a real strike on the fortress. That should distract the vampires, and give us, and maybe some other members, a good shot at defeating Harkon."

"Okay, then let's go back for now," Wendy said, pointing at the shrine. "I think we can use those to go back to the cave."

* * *

"What about this one?" Mabel asked, holding up one of the books she had brought along into her room.

"I don't think it'll help us..." Brelyna, her Dunmer classmate, replied.

"Why not?"

"It's about cooking recipes for mammoth meat."

"Oh. Okay." Mabel put the book back into the stack and started to look for another one. Currently, she, Brelyna, J'zargo, and Onmund were working on an assignment from Tolffdir about artifacts from the second era. For that, they brought a couple of books from the Arcaneum to do their research. Not what Mabel expected from her time here, but she also didn't want to get bad grades.

"This is dumb. Why does J'zargo have to do this?" From the sounds of it, not everyone wanted to do homework.

"What is it we're looking for again?" Mabel asked.

"Records of old ruins close to the college. Especially out on the sea." Onmund explained, opening a new book.

"I think I might've found something..." Brelyna said, pointing at a book of hers. "See? It's written here that there used to be a cave out on one of the small islands off the shore, but after the collapse, it was shut off from the rest of the world."

"So, it's blocked by Ice?" J'zargo asked.

"Pretty much."

"We can break that!" Mabel exclaimed.

"What do you-"

"Mabel is right," J'zargo added. "We can break through with our magic, and take a look around inside. All the treasures will be ours."

"It is a good plan," Onmund added. "Everything inside should be dead at this point, so as long as we have a fire with us, we shouldn't have a problem."

"Are you three for real? You know what happened last time, right?"

"Yeah, and if something like that happens again, the Psijics will resolve it quickly," Mabel said. "Come on, Brelyna. Just relax for a moment and think about it. When we make a great discovery in there, then your family will be proud of you."

"Ugh, fine. But if anything happens, then it's not my fault."

"Deal. Come on guys, let's discover an ancient ruin!"

* * *

 **And here's Chapter 42.**

 **Like I already explained in two other stories, a lot of my files got corrupted, and I had to rewrite them. Thus, this Chapter took a bit longer than usual.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **joshuaobryan549: I can imagine that one ragequits after that. What dragons were they? Normal ones or something advanced, like Elder Dragons?**

 **Ashquinox: Well, that's also a way to do it. It's gonna be so much fun once Solstheim appears in this story and one of them gets their handson the buggers.**

 **coronadomontes: Thanks.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


	43. Calm before the Storm

Chapter 43: Calm before the Storm

Isran stood in his room, leaned over a map of Skyrim. Next to it was a map of the east of Solitude. A particular little Island had been marked with a small, red flag. "And you're sure that it will work?"

"Yeah, the bow should be able to defeat Harkon," Dipper replied.

"Fine. We only have to get you in there..."

"I just want to point out that there are dozens of vampires in there," Wendy said. "And their thralls. And those weird dog things."

"Good point," Isran replied. "You won't make it through there."

"May I suggest something?" Dipper asked. "What if we strike with full force? A huge assault on the castle. I'm sure we can ask one of the boats in Solitude to get us there."

"That could work. Can you tell me the exact layout of the castle?" Isran asked, looking at Serana.

"I can only tell what I remember, and even that might've changed, in case my father renovated."

"Great. You stay here. You two?" He looked at Dipper and Wendy. "You go down and sleep. We need you at full strength tomorrow."

"No problem." Thus, Dipper and Wendy left the two alone and walked through the Dawnguard.

It looked nothing like it did in the beginning. All the cobwebs were gone, and the whole complex was busy. The other members were eating, training or making armor and weapons.

Especially Gunmar and Sorine were working, as Dipper and Wendy found out. Sorine was still trying to improve the crossbows, while Gunmar was taking care of his armored Trolls.

"Hey, you two! Can you come over here for a moment?" Sorine asked.

Both shrugged and walked up to her. "What is it?"

"Here, can you test this out for me?" She gave Wendy a somewhat bigger crossbow. She took it and noticed that it felt light, considering it's size. "I made this one to be used in one hand. After I saw you drawing your shield that one time, I got the idea for an auto-loader."

Wendy and Dipper walked down a set of stairs, arriving at a small shooting range. Wendy took the new crossbow and shot it. The heavy bolt dug deep into the bullseye. However, her entire arm also lunged backward, and a loud crack was heard.

"Wendy?" Dipper asked. Wendy was holding her shoulder, and tears stood in her eyes.

"It... It got a little bit too much recoil."

"Oh, uhm. Sorry."

"Can- Can you get a medic or something here?"

"Sure." Sorine ran off, and Dipper ran to Wendy's side.

"How's your shoulder?"

"Someone needs to snap it back into place," Wendy explained. "I'm not gonna test out a new crossbow ever again."

"I'm back," Sorine yelled. It looked like the next healer wasn't far off. The man's hands started to glow, and he held them over the broken arm.

Wendy cringed as the bones and muscles snapped back into place. "Done." The healer said and left.

"I think I have to work on that..." Sorine noted.

"Stop the presses," Wendy replied. "You know what you could do? Add, like, a little scope. Would be helpful."

"What's a scope?" Sorine asked in confusion.

"A small object that zooms in on targets," Dipper explained. "You know what, maybe I can actually help you with that."

"Okay. Let's go." Thus, Wendy and Dipper helped her out with the new invention.

They realized just how behind this world was, and how much they could actually change with the knowledge they brought from home. And, most importantly, how much money that could make.

* * *

"You think this is it?" Mabel asked, standing on the small Island in front of the supposed entrance to their destination.

Onmund pulled out a map and nodded. "Yeah, this should be it."

"Okay, let's try to be careful," Brelyna said. "We don't want to cause an avalanche."

"Yes, Yes," Mabel replied, and shot Fireballs at the ice, while J'zargo used a normal flames spell.

The Ice slowly turned into water, revealing a dark cave entrance. Onmund set a torch on fire, and went in ahead, followed by the others.

The inside looked like a normal Nordic ruin, minus the plants. Instead, water dripped down from the ceiling, coming in from little cracks that connected to the Sea of Ghosts.

"Uhm, is this really the right Island?" Brelyna asked. "This looks way too old."

"Well, when did Winterhold collapse again?" Mabel asked.

"Eighty years ago. Roughly. It shouldn't be this broken. Especially in this freezing cold." Onmund replied.

"Do you think we might have found an undiscovered Nord Tomb instead?" J'zargo wondered.

The long hallway eventually ended in a circular room, with no was further. Three pedestals stood in the middle of the room, while the walls were full of coffins.

"This is a graveyard..." Brelyna muttered.

"All tombs are glorified graveyards," Mabel said and walked up to one of the pedestals. It looked like there was a little hatch on it. "Huh..." She opened it, and some sort of stone object fell out.

Mabel picked it up and looked at it. The object looked like some sort of mask. "What the..."

"Everything okay?" Onmund asked.

"Yeah. It's just... this mask... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before..."

"Was it inside the pedestal?"

Mabel nodded, put the mask on the ground, and walked over to another pedestal. This one had a hatch too. She pulled it open and found some sort of stone tablet. A huge symbol was carved into it.

"I found something too!" J'zargo yelled. He stood next to the last pedestal and held up a tooth. Judging by the size, it looked like it originally belonged to a dragon.

"Is this everything?" Brelyna asked. She took the mask and put it on her face.

"Do you feel anything?" Onmund asked. "Is it enchanted."

Brelyna took it off and put it back on the pedestal. "No, it's just uncomfortable. Seems like a cheap knock-off you could buy from a caravan."

"Maybe this is some sort of puzzle." Mabel guessed and started to put all the objects into their respective pedestals. However, nothing happened. "Huh."

"Maybe it has something to do with this?" J'zargo asked, and pushed away a bit of debris. It revealed small carvings on the ground, barely possible to see.

"But what would-" Mabel started to walk over to him, only to scratch her foot on a sharp piece of metal on the ground. "Dammit, that hurts!" Blood came out of the wound and poured into the carvings.

"It needs blood?" Brelyna asked.

"This... This probably isn't good." Mabel added. She used a spell to heal her wound.

They watched how the blood made its way through the carvings, and eventually crawled up the pedestals. The three items started to levitate, and the coffins exploded.

Corpses fell out, their bodies full of weird runes.

"What the-?" J'zargo asked in shock.

Mabel walked up to one of the corpses and felt his pulse. "Dead. What in the world happened here?" She looked back at the other students and noticed that the blood had stopped to flow. "Huh?"

It connected the three pillars, forming some sort of triangle. The one line that led to the pedestal with the mask started to glow.

She quickly looked back at the corpses and saw one carving on the back of what looked like a middle-aged Dunmer. It looked too familiar.

"This is some sort of ritual..." Onmund muttered. "Maybe to summons something. A Daedra?"

"I've never heard of a Summoning Ritual that looks like this," Brelyna said. "This is something else."

"We have to get out of here," Mabel muttered.

"What?"

"Come on!" Mabel ran out, and grabbed one of the students, dragging him out with her. The other two followed.

Once outside, Mabel caught her breath. "This isn't good."

"What was that? Why did you panic like this?" J'zargo asked, rubbing his arm.

"It definitely was a summoning circle. I just hope that we didn't activate it." Mabel pulled out her phone and tried to call her uncle. "Right, no connection," Mabel said frustrated and put it back into her pocket. "We have to get back to the school and tell my uncle."

"Do you know what that summoning circle was for?" Brelyna asked.

"Yeah, and my uncle is the only one who can try to stop it," Mabel replied. He was inside the Journal, so Ford had to know something.

"Well then. You two, go back to the school." Brelyna said, pointing at Mabel and Onmund. "J'zargo, you'll stay here with me. We have to make sure that nothing gets out of here."

"Sure."

Mabel nodded, and left with the Nord, trying to get back to the school. Thankfully, the frozen bridge they created to the school enabled them to get there fast.

Ford was, like always, sitting in the middle of the Arcaneum studying. "Grunkle Ford!"

"Mabel? Is something wrong?"

"Listen, we found a weird circle in an ancient ruin."

She could tell by his expression that Ford had his problems with keeping up. "Okay, calm down. What's going on?"

"Okay. Mabel, calm down." She took a deep breath. "We were in this old Nord Ruin, and I 'accidentally' activated a circle. Then there were those three objects. And pedestals for each of them."

"So a magic circle?"

"Well, not really. They formed, like, a triangle."

"WHAT?" Ford yelled out and jumped up. "You don't mean-"

"Yeah. Bill. Looks like he some people here knew about him at one point."

"That's... unsettling." Ford looked at the bookshelves. "However, I haven't found any records of him in here, so it might just have been a small cult."

"Still, can you maybe take a look at it?"

"Sure thing. By the way, I've got something for you." Ford started to look through the pockets of his coat and pulled out a piece of paper. "That arrived here a couple of hours ago. It's addressed to you."

"Uhm, 'kay?" She opened the paper and read through it.

 _"Dear Dragonborn._

 _I'm happy to confirm that Delphine is back in Riverwood. Please come here as soon as possible._

 _Esbern."_

"Oh, looks like the main quest is continuing."

"What?"

"Nothing." She put the note into her pocket. "Seems like I have to leave. Delphine's back, so we can finally find a way to defeat Alduin."

"Alduin? The World-Eater?" Onmund asked in shock. "So it is true that he's back?"

"Oh, forgot about you. But yeah, that Alduin. Apparently, it's my fate to defeat him or something."

"Man, that means you're leaving?" Onmund sighed. "I'm going to gather the others. I'm sure everyone wants to wish you farewell."

"Do that," Mabel replied.

"Also... It might make you happy that I finished my analysis of the mask." Ford explained and picked up the object. "It can accelerate your regeneration of Magicka if I'm not mistaken."

"Okay, that sounds useful." Mabel took the mask. "Wait, I realized something."

"What?"

"Well, one of the objects in the ruin was a mask, one that looked just like that. Even though it was definitely a cheap knock-off."

"Interesting. Maybe the Dragon cult was involved with that place. Anyways, does it fit?"

"Let's see." Mabel put on the mask, and her body bend backward as she let out a gasp. A second later, she collapsed.

"Mabel!" Ford yelled and kneeled down. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes... Yes, it is." Mabel said with a deep voice, though it was obvious that she just tried to sound like some sort of malevolent spirit. "I simply rejected my humanity!"

"What?"

Mabel sighed and stood up. "Man, it's no fun if no one understands my reference. This world kinda sucks in that regard."

"Uhm..."

"Anyways, it fits perfectly, almost as if it changes itself to fit the one who puts it on. Though, the fact that I can only see through these two slits is annoying. But I guess I can just not wear it outside of combat."

"I'm glad you like it. Now then, let's pack your stuff."

"...Yeah." Mabel sighed, a bit sad. She became attached to this place and made good friends with the teachers and students. But Alduin was more important, and it was not like she could never return.

* * *

 **And here's finally Chapter 43.**

 **I apologize for the long wait. Holidays and some exams came in the way, but I should have more time now. It's also a bit shorter, but putting in the finale to the Dawnguard would've made it way too long. So that'll come next Chapter, and then it's back to the main quest.**

 **Now to replies:**

 **joshuaobryan549: I can definitely understand quitting Skyrim for a bit after that, holy crap. For healing, I'd say food is actually quite a good way to restore it. While one piece of food doesn't do much, it can be found in such a high number that it isn't really a problem.  
As for Pacifica, that will be revealed next Chapter. I could've put it in here, but then it would take a lot longer to be released, so I thought that'd be a good way to do it.**

 **OMAC001: Well, Alduin first. Then the first Dragonborn and the interdimensional killer Dorito.**

 **Bayoboo: I think that's her in a nutshell. Especially in the Show.**

 **coronadomontes: Thanks.**

 **potato: I think that would be the way Nirn discovers the idea of bombarding an area.**

 **Elder Scrolls belongs to Bethesda; Gravity Falls belongs to Disney**


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